Professor John Blaxland
Strategic and Defence Studies Centre
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
John Blaxland is Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies in the ANU Strategic and Defence Studies Centre.
His expertise spans intelligence, national security, defence policy, military history, strategic affairs and Australia’s international engagement. A former military intelligence officer, he has held senior intelligence and defence postings in Australia and overseas, including as Defence Attaché to Thailand and Myanmar, a United States intelligence exchange officer, and with the Defence Intelligence Organisation, Defence Signals Directorate and Headquarters Joint Operations Command.
John is the author or co-author of 11 books on intelligence, security and Australia’s role in the world. His research and commentary focus on Australian defence and foreign policy, intelligence and security cooperation, Southeast Asia, alliance relationships, and contemporary strategic challenges. He is a regular media commentator on security and international affairs.
He is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, the Royal Thai Army Command and General Staff College, and the Royal Military College of Canada, where he earned a PhD in War Studies. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.
Please note Professor Blaxland is based in Washington, DC.
Fields of expertise
Articles
Australia can’t afford an AUKUS about-face: 5 things the critics are getting wrong
Three years have passed since the United States, Australia and United Kingdom announced on September 15 2021 that they would…
Democracy Sausage: Crises going nuclear
Is it possible to decarbonise through nuclear energy? Does the debate around these complex issues indicate a failure…
Revealing secrets strengthens our intelligence services
In the intelligence business, the secret of success lies in keeping one’s successes secret. After all, were a…
The much-anticipated defence review is here. So what does it say, and what does it mean for Australia?
The Albanese government on Monday released a declassified version of the much-anticipated defence strategic review, authored by former defence…
AUKUS submarine plan will be the biggest defence scheme in Australian history. So how will it work?
The agreement to deliver Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS tripartite security pact was announced today with great…
Where does Australia stand one year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
One year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the world looks different. The war has triggered what German…
Two major announcements about Australia’s defence force are imminent. Here’s what to expect
The United States’ shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina over the weekend points…
Unpacking Solomon Islands’ security pact with China
The tide is turning on the security of Solomon Islands after its Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare signed a…
Nuclear future looms for Australia’s sub-par submarines
The announcement of a new security pact today between Australia, the UK and the US echoes the strong…
Suu Kyi detention marks return to the Myanmar of old
The detention of Aung San Suu Kyi appears to mark the inevitable end of a trajectory that has…
Rival superpowers may exploit chaos in the US
China and Russia will be tempted to exploit the chaos facing the United States, according to national security expert Emeritus Professor Paul Dibb from The…
Why we are in for a dangerous decade
Two leading strategic studies experts outline the national security implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cascading strategic shocks Professor…
Revealing the inside story of ASIO
The Secret Cold War: The Official History of ASIO, 1975-1989, the third volume of the Australian Security Intelligence…
The essence of being Australian: 100 years since Gallipoli
In April 2015 it was 100 years since the storming of Gallipoli. Four ANU academics discuss what the…