Some thoughts on Expeditionary and Amphibious Logistics - Implications for the Australian Defence Force

“And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth…” JRR Tolkein

The early 2000s saw a marked increase in the expeditionary employment of UK amphibious forces. For the UK, like the fellowship of the ring, ‘some things that should have not been forgotten were lost’. Chief among these was experience of doing expeditionary and amphibious logistics.

Supporting expeditionary operations at strategic distance from the home base is challenging and Australia’s geography means that any operation will be at strategic distance. What lessons can the Australian Defence Force draw from the UK experience of 2000 – 2003? Are these lessons still valid and are the gaps, if any, in capability or in thinking?