Abstract In the lead up to the next Defence White Paper, this article proposes a ‘network’ operating model in response to the Chief of Army’s message to ride the wave of technological development to secure an innovative future for Army. The model is centred on an evolution of the Australian Army’s concept of manoeuvre, increasing the firepower and autonomy of small teams as the Army’s units of action. The model offers a potentially unique approach to force structure and doctrine: the use of partner force …

This is a transcript of the speech presented to the Royal United Services Institute (United Kingdom), Whitehall, London on Friday 8 December 2017. The Honourable Alexander Downer AC, High Commissioner for Australia; Doctor Karin von Hippel, Director-General, RUSI; Major General Ben Bathurst, GOC London District; Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy DG & Research Director, RUSI; Our chair this afternoon, Doctor Peter Roberts, Director Military Sciences, RUSI; Distinguished guests; RUSI members; Ladies and …

Abstract The announcement of a new ‘Information Warfare Division’ 1 within the Australian Defence Force acknowledges the need for cyber-enabled warfare strategies to address the challenges of the information age. Implementing such force modernisation demonstrates a positive, albeit belated, approach to address the disruptive nature information technology is having on the character of modern warfare. This announcement presents an opportunity for Australia’s Special Operations Command (SOCOMD) to maintain …

Abstract This article analyses Australia’s readiness to manage a complex cyber- catastrophe. It contains an analysis of both military and civilian publicly available documentation pertinent to Australia’s cyber capability and disaster resilience. The findings suggest that Australia is ill-prepared to respond adequately to the kind of complex cyber-attack that may trigger cascading consequences. This article seeks to evaluate the scope of Australian documents in the public domain that address cyber-security …

Abstract The mission-oriented performance of digital systems under attack requires an understanding of threat, vulnerabilities and impacts. Australian Army systems are likely to face credible adversaries in the future, capable of attacking digital supply chain systems and degrading the resilience of the overall force. The reality of this future requires capability development efforts now to create a force able to resist cyber-attack on the Defence supply chain and in support of deployed combat forces. The …

‘The problem has never been that the issues relevant to logistics transformation have remained unknown. Rather the problem has been the manner and means by which change is implemented.’ - Lieutenant Colonel David Beaumont Abstract The key to a strong military organisation lies not only in its combat power, but also in its ability to generate logistic and battlefield intelligence, and effectively use it to make timely decisions. In the event of a war, soldiers with different equipment, vehicles, and …

Abstract The Australian Army has lagged behind the best armies in the world when it comes to the uptake of cyber-technology. This paper aims to fill a gap in the discussion on the topic by examining why this is the case, in the context of organisational culture and the dilemmas of emerging technologies throughout history. Militaries, as a subset of organisational cultures, carry a unique set of considerations and attitudes towards innovation, born from the nature of their duties. Where there are no …

Abstract Several high profile cyber-attacks have suggested that cyber-weapons are as important a force multiplier today as airpower was in 1939. This concept requires further analysis to place the utility of cyber-weapons in context, particularly within the tactical level of conflict. To determine the potential uses of cyber-weapons, this paper examines the recent evidence of cyber- operations in conflict and extrapolates potential utility within a conventional military scenario. From this analysis, the …

The Indo-Pacific Doesn’t Exist Dinner Address by Prof Allan Gyngell President - Australian Institute of International Affairs. ‘It’s a great pleasure to be here and an honour to have been invited to deliver these remarks. I suspect that I am an outlier in this room, though. ‘Although I have spent a lot of my professional life happily hanging around with strategic analysts and military and defence types, my background, and what expertise I have, lies in foreign policy. If, as Von Clausewitz says, war is the …

Closing Address Major General Justin ‘Jake’ Ellwood, DSC Deputy Chief of Army ‘Distinguished guests, delegates, colleagues and friends—I think I can say friends now because I think the last couple of days we’ve actually made a number of really good connections at this seminar and Land Forces in general. ‘So good morning. ‘Today I’ve been given the very daunting task of summarising the outcomes and insights of CALFS. It’s daunting because of the amazing speeches and contributions of all participants, but in …