Skip to main content

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
Land Power Library - 21st Century Mahan
Book reviewRegional politicsStrategy

Benjamin Armstrong's book considers the continued relevance of the early 20th century influential American maritime strategist Rear Admiral Alfred Mahan. Reviewing the book, Jennifer Parker finds that Armstrong’s commentary is especially timely as the ADF seeks to balance long-term strategic capability investments with the need for more immediate operational readiness.

Land Power Library - General Walter Krueger
Book reviewLandpower lessonsMilitary history

Kevin Holzimmer's book on General Walter Krueger adds to a growing body of work that re-examines the role of the United States Army in the Southwest Pacific Area during the Second World War. Reviewer Dayton McCarthy highly recommends the book as giving the Australian reader a wider perspective than the well-known touchpoints of Buna, Lae/Finschafen and Borneo.

Official Defence portrait photograph of Major General David Thomae.
Seminar on ‘Reflections as Commander of the 2nd (Australian) Division and as Commander of Joint Task Force 629’
LeadershipCivil-Military Relations

In a talk hosted by 2(AS) Division and streamed by The Cove on Tuesday 26 November, Major General David Thomae, AM will reflect upon his Command of the 2nd (Australian) Division and of Joint Task Force 629.

Land Power Library - Holding Out
Book reviewLand combatLandpower lessons

Roger Lee reviews Tony Cowan's new book on the German Army during World War I and identifies lessons for commanders that are as relevant now as they were during the Great War.

Australian Army soldier, Lance Bombardier Liam Wilson, from 20th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery removes the Integrator Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System from the skyhook at Shoalwater Bay, Rockhampton, Queensland.
Seminar on ‘Small Aircraft, Sizable Threats’
Content ReleaseEmerging TechnologiesAccelerated Warfare

Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS) are widely available, militarily effective and challenging to defeat. In a talk hosted by 2(AS) Division and streamed by The Cove at 16.30-17.30 [AEST] Tuesday 29 October, Dr. Carl Rhodes will discuss the implications for the Australian Army of the wide-spread use of small uncrewed air systems by combatants in current and recent battlefields.

Land Power Library - Patton’s Tactician
Book reviewLandpower lessonsLand combatLand Power Library

Reviewer Chris Roberts rates James W Holsinger's book about Lieutenant General Geoffrey Keyes as being most useful for historians of the World War Two Mediterranean Theatre of Operations and postwar Austria. Keyes saw active service in Sicily, Italy, postwar Germany and postwar Austria. The book's title draws from the fact that Keyes was also General Patton's deputy commander during the Africa Campaign.

Land Power Library - Wars of Revelation
Book reviewStrategyLand Power Library

Wars of Revelation has much to offer, especially for those at the higher levels of the profession of arms and those in areas such as Military Strategic Commitments who engage in policymaking at the strategic level.

Call for AAJ Submissions
Cognitive edgeAustralian Army JournalFuture Ready

The Australian Army Research Centre (AARC) invites submissions for the third edition of the Australian Army Journal (AAJ) for 2025. The theme for this edition will be ‘The Australian Army Contribution to the Profession of Arms – The Past, Present, and Future’. Submissions for 2025 Volume XXI, Number 3 are due by end of day Monday, 24 March 2025.

Land Power Library - The Rise of the G.I Army 1940-1941
Book reviewLandpower lessonsLand combatLand Power Library

McLeod Wood reviews Paul Dickson's book 'The Rise of the GI Army 1940-41'. In his view, it offers valuable insights into the period prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. For those with an interest in understanding how the US prepared for entry into World War Two, this is a well researched and written book.

Enhancing Australia’s Integrated Deterrence
Content ReleaseEmerging Threats and OpportunitiesOur Region

Authors Gregory MacCallion and Courtney Stewart consider how the ADF should approach deterrence and examine land power's contribution to integrated force effects. This Land Power Forum Post summarises the author's longer article that appears in Australian Army Journal Volume 20 Number 2.

Land Power Library - The Brown Water War at 50
Book reviewLittoral WarfareAmphibious/joint/interagencyLand Power Library

Marking 50 years since the withdrawal of US combat forces from Vietnam in 1973, this book is an edited collection of 12 historical essay on the US Navy and US Marine Corps. Reviewer Blair Tidey recommends it as a good introduction to the topic of riverine and coastal conflict for Australian readers interested in Army's emerging capabilities in this area.

The Land Power Library – An Introduction
Content ReleaseBook reviewCognitive edgeLand Power Library

We are introducing a Land Power Forum series entitled the Land Power Library, published on a fortnightly continuing basis. We invite Defence members, public servants and academics, and others with an interest in Army capability to provide book reviews to include in the series.

Professor Anne-Marie Brady of New Zealand's University of Canterbury is shown in an undated photo.
Seminar on ‘Information as magic weapons: threats and opportunities’
Content ReleaseEmerging Threats and OpportunitiesMajor power competition

In a talk hosted by 2(AS) Division and streamed by The Cove on Tuesday 24 September, Professor Anne-Marie Brady will discuss implications for the Australian Army of the PRC’s use of ‘magic weapons’. This is a term used by China's President Xi Jinping to describe the threats and politically influence activities used by the CCP to give effect to its global political objectives.

Professor Peter J. Dean PhD SFHEA
Seminar on ‘The Defence Strategic Review, National Defence Strategy'
Landpower lessonsStrategic AnalysisCognitive edge

In a talk hosted by 2(AS) Division and streamed by The Cove on Tuesday 27 August, Professor Peter Dean will discuss implications for the Australian Army from the DSR, NDS and IIP. In doing so this discussion will support our understanding of Army’s role in defence of the nation, a role with significant importance for 2(AS) Division, the Army and the ADF as a whole.

Cover image of Occasional Paper 24, by Dr Carl Rhodes; the background image shows three DJI Mavic drones in the air over an arid landscape.
The Rapid Advance of Uncrewed Aerial System Technology and Operating Concepts in the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Accelerated WarfareEmerging TechnologiesContent Release

In his newly released Occasional Paper, Cr Carl Rhodes considers lessons learned from the use of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Recognising that the military utility of UAS has rapidly emerged over the last decade, he analyses why the Australian Army and ADF more broadly need to immediately equip and prepare to face this threat across the spectrum of conflict.

Cover of Occasional paper 23, with the cover image blurred behind; The black and white cover photograph shows British Army personnel disembarking onto the beach from a Landing Ship Tank (LST) amphibious vessel at Salerno, Italy on 9 September 1943.
Occasional Paper 23 release - From The Sea
Content ReleaseEmerging TechnologiesAccelerated Warfare

Author Richard Bushby compares WW2 Allied amphibious operations in the European and Mediterranean theatres with those conducted in the central Pacific theatre. The article further examines the relationship between amphibious techniques and broader concepts of strategy and operational art.

Military soldier controls drone for reconnaissance operation of enemy positions. Concept using quadcopters in smart war. Source: Adobe Stock Images
How are Drones Changing Modern Warfare?
Irregular WarfareMajor power competitionEmerging Threats and Opportunities

This Land Power Forum post by Oleksandra Molloy is part of a larger project - the first evidence-based research on the lessons learnt from the use of drones in the war in Ukraine – drawing on both Ukrainian and Australian expertise. The post summarises highlights from the research – lessons from the use of drones in the Russia-Ukraine War.

HMAS Warramunga prepares to enter the port of Visakhapatnam, India during a regional presence deployment.
Small but Mighty
Our RegionProximity and PartnershipsStrategic Analysis

Opportunities to enhance collaboration between Australia and India exist in the realm of defence trade and technology transfer. Pradeep Mehta and Anil Wadhwa of the Consumer Unity and Trust Society explain why.

Seminar on Information Warfare
Cognitive edgeEmerging Threats and OpportunitiesHybrid Warfare

As part of 2 Div's fortnightly PME series, Jeremy Barraclough will deliver a presentation, livestreamed on The Cove on 30 July, addressing the topic of information warfare. Drawing on lessons from recent conflict, he will reflect on their relevance to the Australian Army.

Medics in the Mangroves
Littoral WarfareShort Thoughts 2024

The 1st Place winner of the Short Thoughts Comp, this article attempts to highlight and tackle some of the medical complications that come with littoral warfare.

Last updated:
Contribute an article

The Australian Army Research Centre welcomes contributions to foster debate.

Contribute