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The Land Power Forum blog is published by the Australian Army Research Centre in order to generate discussion and debate about the future of Army.

It is a forum for informed analysis, commentary, thoughts and ideas. Contributions are welcomed from stakeholders, subject matter experts and those interested in future land warfare.

Articles
Promo image - book cover - Reluctant Partner
Book Review - Reluctant Partner
Book reviewMilitary historyLandpower lessons

This is not a military history per se; only four of the book's thirteen chapters are devoted to the French naval and military operations at the Dardanelles.

The rest cover in much more detail the political maneuverings, obfuscation, distrust, duplicity, post-war aims, and attempts to salvage careers amongst the British and the French, and to a lesser extent the post-war desires of the Russians.

Promo image - book cover - The Battle for Shaggy Ridge
Book Review: The Battle for Shaggy Ridge
Book reviewMilitary history

Philip Bradley's new book, 'The Battle for Shaggy Ridge', re-examines Australian and Japanese military operations in Papua New Guinea's Finisterre Range during a four month period from October 1943 to January 1944.

Promo image for Tools to Teammates
From Tools to Teammates
Robotics & Autonomous Systems

In the recently published Occasional Paper ‘From Tools to Teammates: Human-Machine Teaming and the Future of Command and Control in the Australian Army’, the authors explore the compatibility of emerging concepts of human-machine teaming with existing Australian Army culture and practices, drawing on interviews with serving officers and focusing specifically on the implications for military command and control. The paper assesses the risks and opportunities arising from automation for future concepts, doctrine development and organisational change.

An Australian Army soldier from 25/49 Royal Queensland Regiment watches the backburn operations as he awaits clearance and escorts through an active fire zone for delivery and setup of two bouywalls.
Climate Security in the South Pacific: Australia’s Perspective
EnvironmentCivil-Military Relations

Army must continue to prepare for the significant implications of climate change on the future ADF operations. This includes the likely increase in HADR and stability operations in the South Pacific. Riley Bradford discusses why.

An Australian Defence Force MRH-90 helicopter flies over a traditional building in Honiara on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
Joint Warfare in the Near Region: Guadalcanal 1942
Regional politicsMilitary historyAmphibious/joint/interagency

Levon Lambert explores why Australian military operations in Guadalcanal provide enduring lessons about the ongoing challenge of joint warfare in the near region.

An Australian Army’s new Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle conducts a live-fire battle run during exercise Diamond Walk at Shoalwater Bay, Queensland.
Science, Technology and Industry (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Strategic AnalysisSpotlight BriefIndustry
Australian Army CH-47 Chinook helicopters air lifting M777 Howitzers, Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters, a LCM-8 Landing Craft and Royal Australian Navy LHD Landing Craft carrying M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks, M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers and Australian Light Armoured Vehicles, transit from HMAS's Canberra and Choules during an amphibious beach assault, as part of Exercise Sea Explorer, Cowley Beach, Queensland.
Force Design (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Strategic AnalysisSpotlight BriefForce Design
Book cover of Tobtuk to Tunis
Book Review: From Tobruk to Tunis
Book reviewMilitary historyLand combat

In this book, Neal Dando seeks to prove the 'significant impact of the physical terrain' on British operations during the North African campaigns from 1940 to 1943, and 'the subsidiary effect this had on tactical doctrine.' The principal purpose behind this study is his concern that historians have not paid sufficient attention to terrain on the fighting in North Africa. Hence his attempt to elevate the importance of the landscape on the planning and conduct of these campaigns.

Australian citizens and visa holders form a line to board the Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules as Australian Army Infantry personnel provide security at Hamid Karzai International Airport.
People, Culture and Ethics (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Strategic AnalysisSpotlight BriefPeople, Culture and Ethics
Ruins of Caen thumbnail
Urban Myths? Exploring assumptions in the literature of urban Warfare: Part 2
Urban conflict

In Part 1 of this series, Dan Kealy drew attention to one of the great themes of urban warfare literature - that city fighting is uniquely, excessively bloody. This article charts the development of this theme from World War II to the present and argues that it manifests a core challenge to the achievement of successful urban operations – specifically, force protection.

An Australian Army Joint Terminal Attack Controller surveys landscape prior to conducting training serials at the Townsville Field Training Area in Queensland, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021.
Challenging the Methodology
Cognitive edgePsychologyPhysiology

Hugh Manson reflects on his recent involvement with the Australian Army Land Warfare Laboratory (AALW) and the opportunites that exist to use operational research methodologies to enhance leadership decision-making within Army.

Australian Army soldiers from the 10th Force Support Battalion drive a Light Amphibious Resupply Cargo 5 onto the island of Galoa, near Vanua Levu, in Fiji to drop off supplies required to repair buildings affected by Cyclone Yasa.
Economy (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Strategic AnalysisSpotlight BriefEconomics
Department of Health and Human Services officer, Georges Haddad (left) and Australian Army soldiers from the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, Trooper Keegan Veivers (centre) and Trooper Rylan Green (right) conduct door knocking in Colac, Victoria during Operation COVID-19 Assist.
Strategy (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Strategic AnalysisSpotlight BriefStrategy
Background of a red target marker of social media icons appearing like a portal, on a blue mesh futurist landscape, with the cover of OP6 in the foreground.
Social Media as a Force Multiplier
Cyber/space

In this paper, Associate Professor Kevin Foster of Monash University examines how the Australian Army’s engagement with, and use of, social media compares to that of allied and comparator militaries. Drawing on historical examples drawn from the First Gulf War, Somalia and Kosovo as well as Afghanistan and the Second Gulf War, the paper examines how militaries in the US, Britain, Israel and Australia have met (or have yet to meet) the challenges posed by the changed nature of conflict and the increasingly central role that social media plays in it. 

Lieutenant General Ash Power (Retd) (Centre), reprises his role of Chief of Joint Operations during Exercise Talisman Saber 2017 and discusses the intelligence support provided by Private (PTE) Bianca Puglisi, PTE Demi McCormick, PTE Aaron Wattem and PTE Nicola Karakatanis of the 1st Intelligence Battalion, who form the dynamic scripting team.
Evolving Geo-strategic Dynamics (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Strategic AnalysisSpotlight BriefPeople, Culture and Ethics
Computer screen in foreground displaying a padlock with image of flattened earth in background on a blue background
Cyber-Enabled Foreign Influence and Interference
Cyber/spacegrey zone
An officer from the New Caledonian Armed Forces and an Australian Army soldier signal the end of live firing during Exercise Hydra 2019 at Greenbank Training Area, Queensland, Australia.
Our Region (Spotlight Brief 5/21)
Spotlight BriefPeople, Culture and EthicsProximity and Partnerships

The content in this article is an extract of Spotlight Brief 5/21

Australian Army officers from Joint Task Force 646 and representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, attend a hand over, take over meeting at McKinlay Shire Council.
Hindsight in 2021
StrategyFuture Ready

This article reaffirms that constructive thought must lead action. Particularly, as our contest of ideas is important in an era of accelerated warfare and the applied value of our collective brainpower will continue to be the decisive difference tomorrow.

City skyline with burning buildings and sky filled with smoke
Urban Myths? Exploring assumptions in the literature of urban Warfare: Part 1

Cover for Civil Resistance
Book Review: Civil Resistance
Book review
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