The evolution of strategic deterrence

How has strategic deterrence evolved from the Cold War to contemporary times? What is ‘strategic substitution,’ and how has China used it to craft its unique approach to deterrence? How does the ‘Golden Dome’ proposed by the US fit into today’s debates on missile defence and counter-space capabilities? Does Australia need to do more to close the capability gap in relation to China’s recent modernisation? In this episode, Fiona Cunningham and Aaron Bateman join David Andrews to explore the evolution of strategic deterrence from the Cold War to contemporary times, with a focus on nuclear weapons, space capabilities and alternative approaches. Dr Aaron Bateman is Assistant Professor of History and International Affairs at George Washington University. Dr Fiona Cunningham is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also an Expert Associate at the ANU National Security College (NSC). David Andrews is Senior Manager, Policy & Engagement at NSC. TRANSCRIPT Show notes · NSC academic programs – find out more · Under the Nuclear Shadow: China’s Information-Age Weapons in International Security by Fiona Cunningham · Weapons in Space: Technology, Politics, and the Rise and Fall of the Strategic Defense Initiative by Aaron Bateman · Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Statement on Golden Dome for America · THAAD – The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System We'd love to hear from you! Send in your questions, comments, and suggestions to NatSecPod@anu.edu.au. You can tweet us @NSC_ANU and be sure to

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The evolution of strategic deterrence is an episode from The National Security Podcast by ANU National Security College.

This episode is 43:28 long.

This episode was published on Aug 21, 2025.

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