Major General (Ret'd) Mick Ryan AM

Senior Fellow for Military Studies, International Security Program
Major General (Ret'd)  Mick Ryan AM
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Mick Ryan is a Senior Fellow for Military Studies in the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program.

Mick spent 35 years in the Australian Army and had the honour of commanding soldiers at multiple levels. His operational service includes deployments to East Timor, Iraq, and southern Afghanistan, and he also served as a strategist on the United States Joint Staff in the Pentagon.

Mick has a bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies from the University of New England and is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force School of Languages. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and a graduate of the USMC School of Advanced Warfighting. In 2012, he graduated with distinction from the Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.

Mick has a long-standing interest in military history and strategy, advanced technologies, organizational innovation, and adaptation theory. He was inaugural President of the Defence Entrepreneurs Forum (Australia) and is a member of the Military Writers Guild. He is a keen author on the interface of military strategy, innovation, and advanced technologies, as well as how institutions can develop their intellectual edge. He has contributed to several books, including Strategy Strikes Back (2018), Why We Write (2019), On Strategy (2020) and To Boldly Go (2021). Mick has also authored major reports that include the Ryan Review (2016) and Thinking About Strategic Thinking (2021).

On 27 February 2022, Mick retired from the Australian Army. In the same month, his book War Transformed was published by USNI Books. He is a strategy consultant, a columnist for the Sydney Morning Herald and ABC Australia, and an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.

His latest book is White Sun War, published in May 2023. It is a fictional account of a war over Taiwan.

Surprise and modern war
Surprise and modern war
The Kursk offensive is a reminder of the enduring power of surprise. Prudence suggests that Australia needs be prepared.
Trump 2.0
Data Snapshot
Trump 2.0
What Donald Trump’s return would mean for Australia and the world
What Australia can learn from Ukraine's long-range strike weapons
What Australia can learn from Ukraine's long-range strike weapons
Ukraine now has multiple options for strike operations at an affordable cost. This is exactly what the Australian Defence Force needs.
Four key influences on the evolution of the Ukraine War in 2025
Four key influences on the evolution of the Ukraine War in 2025
Ukraine, Russia and NATO are already considering their strategy for the military campaigns of 2025.
As warfare changes, so does Australian strategy
As warfare changes, so does Australian strategy
The National Defence Strategy is not as new as the government claims, but comes with welcome capability investments.
Ukraine war: How to check Russia's momentum
Ukraine war: How to check Russia's momentum
Russia now has the means to subjugate Ukraine. This calls for a change in how Kyiv – and the West – fights this war.
Two years of war in Ukraine: Lessons for Australia
Two years of war in Ukraine: Lessons for Australia
We are witnessing a wholesale transformation of warfare. Australia must learn the lessons for which the Ukrainians have paid such a high price.
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