Changes Coming for Futura Doctrina

Subscriber Christmas discounts and new subscriber benefits coming soon.

Me pondering two whole months over Christmas watching cricket, with no airports and airplanes!

As things start to wind down for 2024 (personally, not in geopolitics), I wanted to provide an update on some new features that I will be rolling out for Futura Doctrina readers in the coming months.

However, before I begin with the update, I wanted to start with a massive THANK YOU to all of my readers.

This year has seen a huge amount of change in the global security environment. I have endeavoured to provide timely, accessible and informed updates on key issues that include Ukraine, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and Australia, as well as more specific topics such as the impact of autonomous systems on modern war, and the importance of leadership, adaptation and good strategy.

I hope you don’t mind that I have also posted articles here that I have published with other outlets. These include my articles with the Lowy Institute, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Foreign Affairs, Engelsberg Ideas, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

For all of you who have subscribed (both paid and free), read my articles and stuck with me during 2024, thank you! I know there is a huge amount of material washing through the global information mesh, and I deeply appreciate your attention.

It constantly surprises me that people from all over the world are interested in my views and insights into modern strategic competition and warfare. I currently have subcribers in over 170 nations worldwide, and in all 50 states of the United States of America. I appreciate every single one of you.

Frequent readers of Futura Doctrina will know that I have a particular fascination with the topic of adaptation. The world is moving fast, and it requires the powers of learning and adaptation for individuals and organisations just to keep up with change, let alone get ahead of it.

By the same token, I want to continue learning about your requirements for analysis on contemporary national security affairs, innovation and future warfare, and respond to those needs. As such, I will be adapting my offerings here over the coming months.

So what are the forthcoming changes?

First, from now until 26 December 2024, I will be offering a discount on annual subscriptions. Whether you are upgrading from a free subscription or continuing an existing paid annunal subscription, you will be able to recieve a 20% discount. You can access the discount here.

Next, there will be no increase in the normal monthly subscription rate. I know that many of my paid subscribers have other subscriptions, and I hope this makes it easier for you to stay here given the enormous pressure on household budgets many people are experiencing at the moment.

Regardless of whether you are a monthly or annual subscriber, your sponsorship of my work here is deeply appreciated. It takes a lot of time to research, write and publish articles. Not only does my work hopefully provide a resource for people who wish to understand contemporary and future security challenges, it allows me to make the necessary research visits that I take to places such as Ukraine. Your subscriptions also permit me to make regular donations to charities and crowd funders for the defence of Ukraine.

Another new feature of Futura Doctrina coming soon will be a weekly commentary that I will publish on my reinvigorated War Shorts podcast. My intention with this commentary is to cover in more detail the topics that I explore in my Big Five weekly update, and in addition, conduct a deep dive into a special topic that is not covered in the Big Five. This new weekly commentary on War Shorts will be for paid subscibers only and start this coming weekend.

Also for paid subscribers, coming in early 2025, will be regular live Q&A sessions with yours truly. I have had quite a few people ask about whether I would do this, and I have decided to take the leap and give it a go from early next year. At this stage, I will plan on doing it monthly. Watch for announcements about the first live Q&A session early in the new year.

Finally, for all my subscribers, I am going to start publishing a free annual reading list. I have done this in the past, primarily with the Modern War Institute. You can read some of the previous lists here, here and here. Initially, I will focus on a general reading list, which includes books, podcasts and online resources. However, if the demand exists, I might also try my hand again at more specialised reading lists. No promises yet on the specialised lists - I will see how the more general annual list (first one coming soon) before dipping into thematic areas.

That is a taste of what is coming with Futura Doctrina in the coming months. I am excited about these new offerings, and hope that existing subscribers contine along for the ride. I love writing for you, and hope you enjoy Futura Doctrina now and into the future.

Thank you!