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 may align with the AARC’s research priorities, the series also ranges more broadly across topics such as military theory, contemporary operations, military history, 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.
Please note: Items indicated as being available through the Defence Library Service are only accessible by Australian Defence Organisation (ADO) personnel.
Books
Haldeman, Joe. The Forever War. Gateway, 2011.
Available as a book and ebook through the Defence Library Service.
The Forever War is a classic work of science fiction which follows the story of William Mandella, a reluctant soldier conscripted to fight an unknown alien civilisation which humanity has encountered while colonising distant solar systems reachable through 'collapsars'. While each ‘jump’ through a ‘collapsar’ is almost instantaneous for the traveller, decades could pass in real time. As Mandella serves on the frontline of this intergalactic war, he becomes a man out of time – with decades and then centuries passing while he ages little. Meanwhile, the civilisation on Earth (and its colonies) becomes almost as foreign to him as the enemy. Penned by Joe Haldeman, a veteran of the Vietnam War who was himself drafted, The Forever War is a timeless work that explores themes such as compulsory service, societal change in wartime, military culture, and cycles of technological and battlefield adaptation between adversaries.
Articles
Blauvelt, Timothy K. 'Russian Expert Opinion on Operation Epic Fury and the War in Iran.' Strategic Research and Assessment Department, US Army War College. 1 October 2026.
Available at: https://www.army.edu/News/View/Article/4613073/russian-expert-opinion-on-operation-epic-fury-and-the-war-in-iran/
How are Russian think-tanks and the academic commentariat viewing Operation Epic Fury and its impact on the international order? This is the question that Timothy K. Blauvelt explores in this 'SRAD Quick Take'. Blauvelt samples several recent articles from Russian academics and international affairs commentators, and identifies several themes that emerge in their analysis. First, Operation Epic Fury is being seen as evidence that the 'collective West' is 'inherently aggressive' as it attempts to retain its global financial and political supremacy in the face of the rise of China (and Asia more generally). Second, the conflict is seen as further evidence of a return to the 'balance of power' politics that dominated the international sphere in the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. Third, the Operation is being seen as a further example of how modern conflicts will no longer end in outright victory for any one side, with peace only possible through negotiation. All of these themes, such commentators believe, justify the continued militarisation of Russian society. This article offers an informative overview of the mindset of Russian foreign policy experts toward the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Price, Brian R. 'The Domain-Based Approach to Warfare: Maximizing Warfighter Expertise.' Journal of Advanced Military Studies 17, no. 2 (2026): 13-36.
In this timely and well-crafted article, Brian R. Price explores the domain-orientated nature of modern warfare. Although there is wide agreement on the conception of modern warfare as occurring in five (possibly six) domains—land, air, maritime, space, and cyber—the term 'domain' has thus far been insufficiently defined across US doctrine. A 'domain', Price argues, can be defined as 'a maneuvre [sic] space defined by distinguishing characteristics and boundaries, control over which conveys military and/or nonmilitary benefits'. Services, and their unique service cultures, emerge from each domain to generate capabilities optimised to influence their domain, while also supporting operations in other domains. Given recent statements by Chief of Army, LTGEN Susan Coyle, at the 2026 Chief of Army Symposium regarding her opinion that a 'cognitive domain’ may well exist, this article is an important examination of the theory underlying the modern conception of warfighting domains.
Simms, Andrew. '200 Not Out, No Declaration'. British Army Review, 200 (2026): 5
Available at: https://chacr.org.uk/2026/09/30/the-british-army-review-200-the-way-ahead/
In a major milestone, the British Army Review (BAR) recently released its 200th issue. Launched in 1949 by Field Marshal William 'Bill' Slim, the BAR has for many years been the British Army’s professional journal and its vehicle to champion the intellectual development of its officers and other ranks. Now produced by the British Army's independent think-tank—the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research (CHACR)—this landmark issue of the BAR contains a foreword from Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker, and commentary from BAR Editor, Andrew Simms. In comments that equally apply to the Australian Army, Simms encourages British Army personnel to push past their reluctance to 'put pen to paper or finger to keyboard', and proffer a professional opinion to forums such as the BAR. Simms rightly notes that such contributions
should never be viewed as subordination or dissent; and doing so in the correct manner—through prose devoid of rants and gripes without suggested remedial steps—should be considered as normal [as] jogging rather than extraordinary feats of courage and [be] encouraged rather than deterred… Where is the reputational risk in being an organisation strong enough to challenge itself?
The AARC extends its sincerest congratulations to CHACR and the British Army on this milestone edition of the BAR.
Reports
How the Army Fights: Operational Warfighting Guidance. U.S. Army, October 2026.
Available at: https://api.army.mil/e2/c/downloads/2026/10/07/1af84728/how-the-army-fights.pdf
Developed by the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army (General Christopher C. LaNeve), How the Army Fights is a new capstone document that captures how the U.S. Army employs (or will employ) land power in support of the US Joint Force. A multi-layered concept, the document distils strategic direction, the context of the operational environment, and operational challenges to articulate a central idea: that the US Army fights and wins through four operational elements: convergence, strike, close battle, and endurance. Through these elements, the Army 'delivers operational maneuver [sic], translates tactical success into campaign advantage, and provides the Joint Force the land control, operational reach, and staying power required to win'. How the Army Fights provides the essential framework for how the U.S. Army is preparing for the battlefields of today and tomorrow, and reinforces how land power is the foundation of joint operations. Written in an accessible style and supported by a strong underlying logic, How the Army Fights is a well-crafted operating concept that brings together doctrine and force design to describe how the whole force will operate in contemporary and future conflicts and across a variety of contexts and environments.
Podcasts
Crinder, Stephanie and Erik A. Davis. 'Drones and the Changing Character of War'. Decisive Point, US Army War College, 9 September 2026.
Available at: https://www.army.edu/News/View/Article/4593924/drones-and-the-changing-character-of-war/
In this episode of the U.S. Army War College's Decisive Point podcast, Stephanie Crinder interviews Colonel Erik A. Davis on his 2025 Parameters article, 'Drones and the Changing Character of War'. In both the podcast and the original article, Davis explores how cheap, readily available drones are reshaping the character of modern warfare and challenging many (mainly) Western assumptions about mass, manoeuvre, and force protection on the battlefield. These changes require militaries to adapt their training, procurement, logistics, and doctrine to enable drones to complement—not replace—traditional combat systems. For newcomers to the topic of drones in modern warfare, this episode is a useful and accessible introduction to an evolving topic.
Kurtz-Phelan, Dan and Lawrence Freedman. 'How to Understand the New Age of War: A Conversation with Lawrence Freedman'. The Foreign Affairs Interview, Foreign Affairs, 17 September 2026.
Available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/podcasts/how-understand-new-age-war
In this episode of The Foreign Affairs Interview, host Dan Kurtz-Phelan chats to noted strategic theorist Lawrence Freedman to explore how warfare is evolving in the twenty-first century and how this is challenging the assumptions that have shaped Western military thinking. Using examples from Ukraine and the Middle East, Freedman argues that while technologies such as drones, AI, and precision strike systems are changing how wars are fought, they have not changed the enduring nature of war itself; technology offers no panacea nor does it promise victory, especially if military operations are not tied to achievable political objectives. Western military forces also, he argues, need to be prepared for future conflicts that are going to be long and demanding, and require strategic and societal patience, resilient logistics, and strong coalition partnerships. As a sidenote, listeners will be impressed to hear in the episode that since 2002, Freedman has penned over 500 book reviews for Foreign Affairs, equating to approximately one review every two weeks!
Movies
Patlabor 2: The Movie (1993)
Director: Mamoru Oshii (113 minutes)
A relatively obscure anime science fiction movie from the director who, a few years later would become famous for Ghost in the Shell, the themes explored in Patlabor 2: The Movie are surprisingly relevant to the Australian Army as it considers its role in homeland defence. Following an explosion that destroys a bridge in downtown Tokyo, two videos emerge of the attack; a home video that appears to show a Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) plane in the vicinity of the bridge at the time, and a higher definition recording that appears to show that the aircraft is a type only used by US Air Force units stationed in Japan. Shortly afterwards, computers at the Air Operations Centre (AOC) responsible for Tokyo’s air defence are spoofed into reporting that a rogue Flight of JASDF aircraft are approaching to attack the city. Other aircraft are scrambled in response, nearly resulting in a blue-on-blue incident before the deception is detected. Additional incidents generate further mistrust between Japan’s military branches, civilian police, and allied forces stationed in the country. An elite mecha-equipped special police unit must rush to uncover the true source of the attacks before the situation escalates into a civil war between agencies. Set in the then-near future year 2002, except for the widespread use of mechas (the titular ‘patlabors’) this movie is surprisingly accurate in its technical realism and attention to detail. It is one of the first films to realistically portray a cyber-attack and its consequences, and its depiction of the AOC’s response to the detected air threat remains one of the most accurate portrayals of tactical air control ever featured in a motion picture. Above all, Patlabor 2 is worth watching because of the questions it raises about how easy it may be for an adversary to sow chaos between and within an unprepared society and the branches of its government.
