Each month, members of the Australian Army Research Centre’s Academic Team curate a selection of recommended readings or presentations, including academic articles, podcasts, conference presentations, books, blogs, and commentary. These selections are drawn from their ongoing research and are chosen for their relevance to the challenges and opportunities facing the Australian Army today.
While many recommendations will align with the AARC’s research priorities, the series also ranges more broadly across topics such as military theory, contemporary operations, regional dynamics, institutional and campaign studies, and strategic affairs.
These resources are intended to support both individual professional development and unit-level study, complementing the AARC’s own publications. Inclusion in this series does not imply endorsement of the views expressed in the original works.
Additionally, the AARC welcomes recommendations from Army’s Senior Leadership. For the inaugural post of AARC Recommends… Deputy Chief of Army shares a recent favourite.
Books
Coll, Steve. The Achilles Trap, Saddam Hussein, the United States and the Middle East, 1979-2003. Allen Lane, 2024.
Available as a Libby audiobook through the Defence Library Service
Steve Coll has written several excellent books on the history of US operations in the Middle East Region and a biography of the Bin Laden family. His examination of the history leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq is illuminating. He follows the rise of Saddam Hussein and the troubled history of Iraq under the dictator’s iron rule. It tracks the follies of both sides leading up to the events of 9/11 and the invasion of 2003. Coll is incisive and thorough in his examination of all sides of the story.
Articles
Bremer, Maximilian K. and Kelly A. Grieco, "The Air Littoral: Another Look" Parameters 51, no. 4 (2021): 67-80.
Available at: https://press.armywarcollege.edu/parameters/vol51/iss4/7/
This article explores the concept of the ‘air littoral’, a way of rethinking ‘verticality’ in military operations, driven by the proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems. It is an especially important consideration in land operations, as the traditional boundaries, roles, and control concepts over air space are being blurred by new developments.
Eaton, Aubry J. and Dustin T. Thomas. “Fabrication at the Tactical Edge” Joint Force Quarterly 119 (2025, published 2026): 14-22.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/joint-force-quarterly/vol119/iss4/4/
In this article, the authors argue that combining additive manufacturing and AI enables forces to design, produce, and deploy equipment within operational timescales, decentralising production and reducing reliance on vulnerable supply chains. The ability to design, develop, and fabricate advanced components ‘at the tactical edge’ through containerised fabrication workshops has significant relevance for the Army and ADF, as they enhance their ability to operate at bare bases in Northern Australia or in the littoral environments of the archipelagos of the Indo-Pacific.
Whisler, Greg and Michael Kofman. “A Return to Mass: Russian Force Expansion in the War with Ukraine.” War on the Rocks, 14 July 2026.
Available at: https://warontherocks.com/a-return-to-mass-russian-force-expansion-in-the-war-with-ukraine/
In this article, Greg Whisler and Michael Kofman, experts on the Russian Army, analyse Russia’s ability (since 2022) to regenerate and expand its forces amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War. Throughout this conflict Russia has used a range of initiatives to grow, expand, and maintain its forces in the face of unrelenting battlefield casualties. The authors further explore how this mass has failed to equate to battlefield victory, with this being a result of Ukrainian innovation and a ‘cost-ineffective approach’ by senior Russian commanders. As the Australian Army and ADF consider the requirements for Large Scale Combat Operations in our region, this article is a timely reminder that mass and scale do not always result in battlefield victory, but they do help in keeping forces in the fight.
Reports
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (U.S. Department of War). Small Drones, Big Problems: A First Principles Approach to Countering UAS, 8 July 2026.
This US guide establishes a basis for defence against UAS, introducing a common vocabulary, incorporating lessons from the Middle East and Europe, and explains how adversaries employ drones. It outlines the components of a layered defence, identifies factors critical to successful counter-UAS operations, and highlights the need for diverse tools to address drone threats. Beyond technology, it stresses warfighter training, authority, and preparedness for real-time responses. As Ukraine demonstrates daily, UAS (and counters to it) are part of the modern battlefield, and this Report proposes a multi-layered model for surviving UAS in both overseas operations and in national defence.
Podcasts
Boyce, Kevin, John Nagl, and Thomas W. Spahr, ‘Can AI Pass the U.S. Army War College Comprehensive Exam?’, A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast (US Army War College), 9 June 2026
Available at: https://warroom.armywarcollege.edu/podcasts/ai-comps/
In this episode of The War Room podcast, Kevin Boyce interviews two faculty professors at the U.S. Army War College on their recent test of four leading AI models in oral comprehensive exams. All four models passed the exam, showing sufficient applicable strategic and military knowledge. Performance, however, varied, leading researchers to conclude that AI is a useful adjunct to staff officers, but not a replacement for human capability and judgement. As all military professionals grapple with the implications of advanced AI systems on their work and the profession at large, this episode offers a unique and considered view on how AI systems need to be paired with humans for maximum effectiveness.
Speeches
Walker, Roly. “Chief of the General Staff: Land Power and the Foundation of Deterrence.” RUSI Land Warfare Conference, London, 23 June 2026.
Transcript available at: https://www.army.mod.uk/news/rusi-lwc-2026-chief-of-the-general-staff-speech/
In this keynote address to the 2026 RUSI Land Warfare Conference, UK Chief of the General Staff General Sir Roly Walker explores how land power remains the foundation of deterrence through its unique ability to secure and hold territory, and through this, shape political outcomes of war. He explores the British Army’s ongoing modernisation and transformation, including developments in its use of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, drones, and data-driven targeting. As one of Australia’s closest allies and an AUKUS partner, the British Army’s response to contemporary force development challenges offers important insights useful for our own modernisation.
Senior Leaders Recommend…
Major General Chris Smith DSC AM CSC, Deputy Chief of Army
Simon, Tobby. ‘I am Not Afraid: Leadership’s Moral Compass.’ Insights (Synergia) (June 2026): 5-8
Available at: https://synergiafoundation.org/2025/12/19/the-edge-of-life/
Tobby Simon is the Founder and President of Indian think tank Synergia which publishes Insights. This article within the June edition argues that leadership is founded not on power or authority, but on character. In this article, the author draws parallels with historical figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Pope John Paul to explore this argument, and to identify five core leadership qualities, namely: foresight, integrity, empathy, courage, and humility. True leaders shape the moral environment around them, exercise self-discipline in the face of power, prepare ethically for crises before they occur, and build resilient institutions that outlast their tenure. This article is an important reminder that the Australian Army is built on leadership, ethical decision-making, and command responsibility as fundamental elements of the Australian Army Profession.
