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Ben Packham @bennpackham

Foreign affairs and defence correspondent @australian.

Joined November 2009
  • Tweets 16,049
  • Following 8,824
  • Followers 14,338
533 Photos and videos
Ben Packham retweeted
Andrew Greene@AndrewBGreene
Jun 3
Sometimes it just has to be said. Committee Chair @SenRaffCiccone says what most people watching senate estimates were thinking
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Sounds like new Defence sec announcement coming in next day or so. Scott Dewar remains the favourite.
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Tho could be surprising
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Ben Packham retweeted
Tyler Rogoway
@Aviation_Intel
Mar 10
Massive Leap In Ability To Spot Iranian Drones Headed To Persian Gulf The E-7A Wedgetail is arguably the best aircraft anywhere in the world for spotting low-flying Iranian drones and cruise missiles. twz.com/air/massive-leap-in-…

Massive Leap In Ability To Spot Iranian Drones Headed To Persian Gulf

The E-7A Wedgetail is arguably the best aircraft anywhere in the world for spotting low-flying Iranian drones and cruise missiles.

twz.com
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AUKUS ‘devouring defence readiness’, Paterson warns theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian

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Ben Packham retweeted
The Lowy Institute@LowyInstitute
24 Jun 2025
In the latest episode of @LowyInstitute Conversations, @mfullilove and @HerveLemahieu discuss missile diplomacy in the Middle East and the reactions, both positive and negative, to President Trump's unpredictable foreign policy. youtu.be/JKsSNvBkFQI?feature…
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Defence defiant on ‘legacy’ choppers, despite US move to scrap them theaustralian.com.au/nation/…
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Why is Melbourne Airport such a shit hole?
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Australian, US subs sail out as Chinese flotilla nears WA theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian

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Trump plan risks appeasement of Russia, envoy warns theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian

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Ben Packham retweeted
david wroe@davidwroe
29 Jan 2025
DeepSeek’s breakthrough should be less of a surprise than the stunned market reaction has shown, @BassiJustin & I write in @australian today. ASPI's own Critical Tech Tracker has shown for 2 years that Chinese published AI research rivals the US. theaustralian.com.au/comment…
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Ben Packham retweeted
Fergus McLachlan, AO@FMcL2020
21 Dec 2024
Actually we are double the British Army. As much as four times more star ranks per enlisted soldier than the US. There is an overhead for running even a small Defence force but growth in roles in the central bureaucracy grew wildly under the previous CDF. Time to reset the dial.
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Ben Packham retweeted
Fergus McLachlan, AO@FMcL2020
19 Dec 2024
The ratio of star rank officers to soldiers in ⁦@AustralianArmy almost double that of the US. The US Army⁩ will trim 5% of general-officer jobs in coming years, chief’s spokesman says - Defense One defenseone.com/policy/2024/1…

Army will trim 5% of general-officer jobs in coming years, chief’s spokesman says

Gen. Randy George agrees the Army is “too top-heavy.”

defenseone.com
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North Korean IT worker scam hits Australian firms theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian
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Execs named as ACCC goes after Downer and Ventia for price fixing theaustralian.com.au/busines… via @australian
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NRL PNG deal money well spent to keep China at bay theaustralian.com.au/comment… via @australian

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Australia joins exclusive missile club with Tomahawk test theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian
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Virginia sub budget plea stokes AUKUS fears theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian
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Former defence chief tipped for top diplomatic role theaustralian.com.au/nation/… via @australian
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Defence morale plunges as chiefs fail leadership test theaustralian.com.au/nation/…
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