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This article will seek to argue that historical concepts of mounted forces have framed our contemporary understanding of mounted capability in a way that has left a gap in our language and thoughts. It will further argue that the resulting gap has created a situation where our organisation is unable to reach a common understanding about mounted capability that fits neatly within historical examples. Finally it will argue for a framework to rectify these problems. All of our concepts of mounted capability …

Whether it realises it or not, the modern world relies on space-based technology for a range of vital applications, not limited to science, communications and navigation.  Our major allies, following considerable investment in military space systems, are Australia’s indispensable enablers for coordination, targeting, intelligence and weather monitoring.  Unfortunately, open sources indicate that other space-capable nations may have developed counter-measures to these space capabilities in every orbit …

The year is 2022, and regional actors have initiated hostilities near a familiar peninsula, several thousand nautical miles north of Australia.  Anticipating large-scale combat operations, Australia’s allies have dispatched Carrier Battle Groups (CVBG), while Australia has committed an Amphibious Task Group (ATG). The ATG will secure an island located along the allies’ eastern flank, permitting allied forces to mass effects against the decisive operation. The ATG objective possesses strategic significance, …

Army finds itself at the dawn of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) where rapid technological advancements seem to be revealed on a regular basis. 4IR is comprised of new technologies, including but not limited to, machine intelligence, [1]  robotics and autonomous systems.  However a central feature of 4IR is emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), which is essentially a global network of objects connected via the internet. Initially intended to link everyday household items [2]  to the internet …

‘Any useful statement about the future should at first seem ridiculous’ [1] As Officer Cadet Sallie Smith [1]  marched forward to accept the Sword of Honour at the Royal Military College, Duntroon graduation parade she felt a sense of exhilaration and relief.  Sallie had worked tirelessly and outperformed other officer candidates to take out top honours.  Little did anyone suspect that as she accepted the award a  machine intelligence system  based somewhere in a covert data centre was autonomously …

The soldiers, command-teams and senior members of  51 FNQR  underwent a very different form of induction this year. Charged with turning conventional Army staff into culturally attuned trainers and facilitators, Major Josh Mickle elicited the assistance of the  Wadjanbarra Tableland Yidinji Aboriginal Corporation , a local Indigenous community, to provide a demonstration of the challenges of cross-cultural communication. Local community elders came to induction training and provided instruction on the …

On 3 September 2014, then U.S. Secretary for Defence Chuck Hagel delivered a  keynote speech  on innovation to the South-Eastern New England Defence Industry Alliance in Newport, Rhode Island. It was arguably the most important address of his tenure.  During his speech, Secretary Hagel announced the launch of his  Defense Innovation Initiative (DII) , the catalyst within the Department of Defense (DoD) for a major change in strategic direction.  In his speech, Secretary Hagel acknowledged that the U.S. is …

The Maritime Warfare Officer (MWO) stream and in particular the specialisation of Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) and the number of qualified Major Fleet Unit (MFU) Navigators remains a concern for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The complexities of personnel fatigue resulting from sea service, management of individual work-life balances and ship manning requirements raise more questions than are answered – particularly regarding the benefit of RAN Navigators specialising as PWOs. The MWO training …

“It is essential that all leaders from subaltern to commanding general familiarize themselves with the art of clear, logical thinking. It is more valuable to be able to analyse one battle situation correctly, recognize its decisive elements and devise a simple, workable solution for it, than to memorise all of the erudition ever written of war’  ( Infantry in Battle, 1939, p.14, cited in Fischer and Spiker, 2009 ). Army prides itself on the numerous strategic leaders who have served our country. The …

If there are two words guaranteed to generate an emotional response in professional Army officers – young and old, junior and senior – it is ‘Mission Command’. Who has not heard these statements? We  –  subordinate commands  – don’t have enough of it; They  –  the higher headquarters  – don’t give it; We  – Army  – don’t practice it; and why won’t  they  – commanders  – just let  us  – hard working subordinate  – get on with  it  –  what ever the task is the subordinate is sure they can do better with less …