Sherwin E. Ona is an associate professor of political science and development studies at De La Salle University. He is a senior fellow of the Philippine Public Safety College and the Stratbase Institute. Dr. Ona is also an alumnus of the DKI-Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies and an international fellow of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research of Taiwan.
Sherwin E. Ona is an associate professor of political science and development studies at De La Salle University. He is a senior fellow of the Philippine Public Safety College and the Stratbase Institute. Dr. Ona is also an alumnus of the DKI-Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies and an international fellow of the Institute for National Defense and Security Research of Taiwan.
South Korea’s undersea future isn’t SSNs or UUVs—it’s both. Nuclear subs hedge dual crises; unmanned systems impose constant pressure on North Korea’s SLBMs. In a crowded Pacific, layered integration—not prestige—will decide deterrence.
The map isn’t the war. Ukraine is fighting systems—power grids, drones, attrition. Russia leads this phase by compounding pressure, not breakthroughs. Outcome still contested, but arithmetic, not headlines, is deciding January 2026.
Japan’s F-2 shows co-development fails when power is asymmetric. Today, Japan–South Korea symmetry and shared threats create a rare chance to jointly build real deterrence—quietly, modularly, and beyond symbolism.
The AFP’s final modernization phase marks a bold shift—new missions, tougher challenges, and evolving defense paradigms. As tensions rise, sustaining reforms and credible deterrence becomes vital for the Philippines’ security future.
The Saudi–Pakistan nuclear pact mirrors NATO’s Article 5 but raises serious legal dilemmas—can “shared deterrence” justify collective violations of the UN Charter’s prohibition on force?
Israel’s Iron Dome showed the value of layered, integrated defense. South Korea must bridge its low-altitude gap or risk chaos in a North Korean barrage. Civilian protection is no longer optional—it’s deterrence.
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China’s 2025 Security White Paper talks “people-first” and “shared peace”—but behind the rhetoric lies a militarized, surveillance-heavy state vision. Holism in words, hard power in action.
India faces a serious two-front threat as Pakistan leverages advanced Chinese military tech. The recent air battle exposed key weaknesses. Urgent reforms in doctrine, tech, and alliances are now critical.
Longer reach wins the skies. South Korea must urgently close its air-to-air missile gap—or risk falling behind rivals like China and allies like Japan. Delay isn’t just dangerous—it’s strategic surrender.
Indonesia and Jordan are quietly forging a deeper defense bond—military training, industrial ties, and joint aid missions signal a maturing partnership grounded in trust, not talk.
BRICS+ offers vast potential in trade, technology and local currency cooperation, but geopolitical rivalries and divergent strategic priorities will shape whether it emerges as a cohesive force or remains a loose coalition.
BRICS may not end dollar dominance, but it is accelerating a shift toward a more multipolar financial order where currencies, influence, and economic power are becoming increasingly contested.
Japan and South Korea can no longer afford fragmented security policies. In a Taiwan-Korea dual contingency, coordination is no longer strategic preference, but the foundation of deterrence and regional stability.
As Gulf tensions rise, Pakistan has quietly become the channel neither Washington nor Tehran can afford to lose. Islamabad’s diplomacy is no longer reactive; it is positioning itself at the center of crisis management.
The Epstein case is no longer just about one predator. It’s about whether Western institutions can investigate power honestly — or whether wealth, influence, and secrecy will always outrun accountability.
