So… we did it. Australia just handed Japan a $10 billion contract to build our new navy frigates. Not Germany. Not a safer, cheaper, proven model. Japan. And depending on who you ask, it’s either a visionary strategic move—or the latest in a long line of overambitious defence buys we’ll regret in five years. Let’s be honest, this wasn’t the obvious choice. Germany’s MEKO A-200 was cheaper, simpler, and had a solid track record in exports. For a country still struggling to deliver submarines and overhauls on schedule, the “safe option” would’ve been very on-brand. But this time, we didn’t go safe....