The adaptation deficit: Why Western militaries are behind in the race to learn Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jul 6, 2026 · 10 min read · Defense
Ukraine’s 40 day gambit, smoke over St Petersburg, and Putin’s intransigence. The big five, 5 July… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jul 5, 2026 · 16 min read · Defense
The culminating point? The big five, 21 June 2026 edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jun 20, 2026 · 17 min read · Foreign Policy
Bridges, blockades and military personnel reform. The big five, 14 June edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jun 13, 2026 · 23 min read · Defense
The writing is on the (kremlin) wall for Putin and choking the Crimea land bridge. The big five, 7… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jun 6, 2026 · 20 min read · Foreign Policy
Highway to hell: Ukraine's logistics lockdown, Taiwan’s littoral command and China’s evolving… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·May 30, 2026 · 18 min read · Defense
The interdiction war: How Ukraine is cutting Russia's Southern lifelines, plus XI's big week and a… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·May 23, 2026 · 21 min read · Defense
Russia has no sanctuary left. Ukraine's deep strike, the Beijing summit and the shape of a… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·May 16, 2026 · 18 min read · Defense
Whose victory day? Ukraine gives Putin permission for his parade, and the evolving pacific security… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·May 9, 2026 · 26 min read · Defense
No safe rear: Ukraine, the pacific, and the limits of strategic depth Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·May 2, 2026 · 20 min read · Defense
Frontlines and strategic fault lines - Ukraine's deeper strategic strikes and intensifying… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Apr 25, 2026 · 16 min read · Defense
Turning the corner: Momentum builds in Ukraine’s strike & ground defence campaigns while pacific… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Apr 19, 2026 · 23 min read · Defense
More ambition, same architecture: Australia's 2026 national defence strategy Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Apr 16, 2026 · 12 min read · Defense
The learning curve: Ukraine’s attrition campaign and the PLA’s Iran war study Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Apr 11, 2026 · 23 min read · Defense
Strikes, summits and the possibility of boots on the ground in Iran: The week that shaped two wars. The big five, 5 April edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Apr 4, 2026 · 23 min read · Defense
Should America put boots on the ground in Iran, Ukraine disrupts Russia's spring offensive, and China's coercion: Three theatres, one week. Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Mar 22, 2026 · 22 min read · Defense
Two Iran wars, two theories of victory and the lessons for a distant pacific Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Mar 16, 2026 · 10 min read · Defense
From Kyiv to taipei: Three theatres, much to learn. The big five, 15 March edition. Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Mar 14, 2026 · 20 min read · Foreign Policy
A strategic learning deficit: Western military institutions ignored Ukraine war lessons. The big five, 8 March edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Mar 7, 2026 · 20 min read · Defense
The New Iran war: Trajectory of the war and its impact on Ukraine and the pacific Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Feb 28, 2026 · 20 min read · Defense
Four years of war, no end in sight. The big five 22 February edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Feb 21, 2026 · 17 min read · Defense
Are you ready? Zelenskyy's message at munich. The big five, 15 February edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Feb 14, 2026 · 22 min read · Defense
Rushing to failure with current peace talks? The big five, 8 February edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Feb 7, 2026 · 14 min read · Defense
Putin cannot afford a peace deal now. The big five, 1 February edition Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jan 31, 2026 · 15 min read · Defense
Davos don insults allies, deterred on greenland (for now). Ukraine peace talks. Pla purges persist Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Jan 24, 2026 · 18 min read · Defense
Mr zelenskyy goes to kupiansk. Putin huddles in Moscow. Chinese carrier off Japan. The big five, 14… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Dec 13, 2025 · 17 min read · Defense
She’ll be right, mate: The new u.s. National security strategy and the pacific Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Dec 5, 2025 · 14 min read · Defense
Peace negotiations stumble on, Putin lays down a marker, and the fall of yermak: The big five, 30… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Nov 29, 2025 · 23 min read · Defense
The Putin- pact is Afghanistan all over again, but with much worse outcomes. The big five, 23… Mick Ryan · Mick Ryan ·Nov 22, 2025 · 24 min read · Defense
