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Time to start thinking differently about the US Marines in Australia The US Marine Corps (USMC) is ushering in a new, transformative era in its doctrine, capabilities and organisation under the Force Design 2030 Initiative . On 3 March 2022, the USMC officially stood up its first Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) based in Hawaii.  The 3rd Marine Regiment officially became the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, the first of three regiments envisaged to be operating by 2030 , with the 4th and 12th Marine Regiments …

Developing Our People for Integrated Campaigning The author acknowledges the efforts, analysis, and assistance of Commander Jorge McKee and Lieutenant Colonel Uliano Polatos. Both officers significantly contributed to, and directly provided, the ideas and analysis that supports this article. Nick Bosio offers  What it looks like Tactically, Operationally, and Strategically in Part 1 of Integrated Campaigning . … what people think cannot be separated from the question of how they think. Azar Gat, A History …

Acting Head of Land Capability, BRIG Ian Langford, presents his views on combat operations in the contemporary high threat environment to this year's ADM Congress, Canberra 22 June 2022. It is my aim today to talk to you about our Army, but more specifically, land power as it relates to conduct of combat operations in a modern, high threat environment. This is to be expected, and as the Ukraine conflict is revealing, remains a relevant modality of warfare today. In addition to preparing for these types of …

The world is watching the events of the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold with a mixture of disbelief, dread, horror and, amazingly, inspiration and hope. The Ukrainian’s defence of their country against a seemingly irresistible Russian force provides important insights for Australia if we were ever to face a similar catastrophic and tragic fate. Even as a civilian observer, there are many emerging lessons to observe from the conflict.  Of these, I have chosen just a few key areas to highlight in this …

“To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” George Washington Introduction The government’s recent political announcement to expand the Australian Defence Force by 20,000 personnel is welcomed. To be a significant ‘land power’ deterrent, the Army will need the capability to expand numbers quickly with trained soldiers.  Swiss history confirms the need for middle power nations to have a capable reserve force to mobilise in response to national security contingencies. The …

The Implications of the Precision Strike Revolution Introduction For several decades, the art of war has been in the midst of a revolution. The combination of pervasive sensors with long-range precision strike capabilities, that was first evident in the 1991 Gulf War, has spread globally. Once the Australian Army acquires HIMARS , it too will gain the ability to strike with precision and at distances which are currently beyond reach. Moreover, as the technology improves, the distance at which these weapons …

This Spotlight Brief  provides an introduction and context to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. It discusses Ukraine’s strategic circumstances and provides an overview of the chain of events which led to it. The Brief aims to provide a wide audience with a basis of knowledge to better understand the relationship between Russia and Ukraine and why the conflict occurred.  … Spotlight Brief …

Four New Principles of War The Principles of War (POW) that we ascribe to have long been studied and advocated in military institutions.  Based on the post-World War One work of Major General J F C Fuller CB, CBE, DSO, their importance as a foundation for the conduct of warfare has been reaffirmed over the years.  Originally there were nine Principles, with the tenth being added subsequently (initially referred to as ‘Administration’, it is now known as ‘Sustainability’). The pace of technological advance …

A Framework for Irregular Warfare Australia has a long history with insurgency and considers its experience in Phuoc Tuy, Vietnam and Uruzghan, Afghanistan, as examples evidencing a reputation as a world leader in this space. An innate capability for insurgency and irregular warfare would seem logical given the frequency of insurgency in our region; almost all South-East Asian nations have experienced insurgency since World War II. [1] Despite this context and recent operational experience in Iraq and …

A Strategic Plan for Tunisia Tunisia is challenged by a dual insurgency, with affiliates of al-Qaeda and ISIS exploiting grievances within the population and leveraging Islam to mobilise support. The objective of these affiliates is to discredit the Tunisian authorities and install a sharia-ruled government. [1] Tunisia’s strategic partnership with Algeria has moderately suppressed a cross-border insurgency in Tunisia’s west, although the insurgency still leads the contest for the control of the …