Gee. A little bit paranoid? We are like Russia and North Korea? Dire scourges in other parts of the world? Then, of course, there is the “easily led public”.

Defence is essential. Defence manufacturing and advertising is an important part of our economy.

Pathetic.

I have to agree with ttbn.

The article is all a bit pointless.

One part ,though , intrigues me...

'So far the Pacific has been largely spared this scourge, apart from the sad example of Papua New Guinea, where the ready availability of guns makes it now one of the most dangerous places on the planet for locals and visitors alike'

PNG has 1.2 weapons per 100 people , Australia has 21.7 whilst Switzerland ,at 45.7 per hundred ,is the 4th most heavily armed country on earth!

These are private gun ownership stats.. excludes Armies and Police. Me thinks that the violence in PNG has bugger-all to do with Gun ownership.

If it was , then Switzerland would be Hell on Wheels !

Gun ownership and the ready availability of guns are entirely different things.

There are any amount of guns and ammunition in PNG, the leftovers from WWII number in the (?) thousands.
What is restricted in PNG is private gun ownership, the crims have guns the victims do not.

Air shows are cool and fast and aerobatic fighter planes are the best to watch. Airshows are far cry from missiles and tanks being paraded down the mainstreet ahead of goose stepping soldiers.

I support the members of our armed forces being well equipped and well trained and ready to defend our nation at a moments notice.
If they are prepared to put their lives at risk then we should give them the best training and equipment in the hope that they don't lose their lives in the first place.

But I do not support our governments using our defense forces as mercenaries beyond our borders in other peoples wars of conquest.

If they don't have any wars to occupy themselves with they should instead be putting their skills to use helping out with domestic projects instead.

AC,

"If they don't have any wars to occupy themselves with they should instead be putting their skills to use helping out with domestic projects instead"

They, or at least some of them, need battle/combat experience so that they are up to the minute in preparedness and can pass on their knowledge, otherwise, they end up fighting the current stoush using outdated tactics.

okk

A lot of he says she says hot air? That may well have completely inadvertently made sense in a few sentences? Given the Author is clueless and dependant on the he says she says, military advice.

I don't think any right minded person would see an arms fair as a glorification of war, but rather as a showcase of available equipment?

That said, we need to become completely self reliant in what we build and use, given the next war will be fought remotely by machines, some of which will be completely autonomous and not able to judge soldier from civilian?

Moreover, we need more spending on R+D if we would stay ahead of this arms race and completely self reliant! Which needs to be our ultimate goal!

We can already build drones, smart bombs, ships and subs! As for planes? All we need for self defense are stealth equipped, VTL platforms that fire missiles at selected targets!

Given the targets of choice in any future war are most likely our own civilian populations?

We also need to build nuclear powered subs that are little more than underwater hangers for myriad mini subs which then swarm to deliver all manner of ordnance that knock out the hostile capacity in the first coordinated blow. Rockets, cruise missiles and torpedoes from all points of the compass in the first five minutes of any intended engagement.

Mother subs all but undetectable at the bottom of the ocean! And able to deliver maximum reprisal or a knockout blow! And essential for our survival, given no second chance would be available!

No right minded person wants war, given there are no winners just massives losses all round! That said, we need to be strong enough to ensure in this cockeyed would, we won't need to have one?

Save a nut job at the helm of a rogue nation and so blinded by his or her own magnificence, that they believe that they will win and not be harmed!
Alan B.

I have attended every one of the Avalon Air Shows. I have noticed absolutely no change in the tone or whatever he is rambling on about. Case closed lol!

If the author can't even get the fighter type right (its an F 35) then any semblance of credibility goes right out the window. What a joke of an article.