Dr Charles Vandepeer holds a PhD from the University of Adelaide where he is involved in research, lecturing and course development focusing on teaching and research into critical thinking, decision-making and analysis, drawing on methods from a wide range of fields including operations research, psychology, sociology, behavioural economics, philosophy, and political science. His emphasis is on the practical application of techniques to real-world problems at the individual and group level. He served in …

Lieutenant Colonel Robin Smith from the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation & Coordination Office (RICO), Future Land Warfare Branch of Land Capability Division presents on the technology that the Australian Army is exploring for the battlefield of the future. … Robotic and Autonomous …

The May 2018 AARC Staff Ride considered the 1941 invasion of the Malay Peninsula leading to the 1942 fall of Singapore. Although the campaign primarily consisted of allied defensive battles, withdrawal, retreat and capitulation; much can be gained from a detailed consideration of the course of events. The campaign offers case studies and warnings in the application of the principles of war, defensive operations and the maintenance of unit cohesion in retreat. It also highlights issues of allied …

The AARC May 19 Staff Ride to Papua New Guinea was an ambitious undertaking. Consisting of a group of hand-selected mid-level officers from a variety of corps, units and training establishments, it commenced by flying into Nadzab. In September 1943 this large airfield near Lae was secured by the US 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, reinforced by elements of the Australian 7th Division. This high-risk air assault supported a bid by the Australian 7th and 9th Divisions to surround and isolated the Japanese …

The AARC can provide limited assistance to organisations such as the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA). In this case, it was able to provide reconnaissance, planning and staff support to conduct a Battlefield Study Tour (BFST) to Okinawa, Japan, in April 2019. The location of the last great battle of the Pacific War, the island of Okinawa is still home to extensive United States military assets, and the study tour was fortunate indeed to be able to gain outstanding support from our US allies. In …

During the latter months of 2019 and the new year of 2020, Australia experienced catastrophic and widespread bushfires. As the situation worsened, the federal government unexpectedly called out the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Reserves to bolster an already significant deployment of ADF regular forces to contribute to a massive interagency and volunteer community response. This deployment was the largest ever peacetime domestic ADF operation in response to a natural disaster. As the lessons of Operation …

Brigadier Ian Langford, DSC and Bars, is a highly experienced Army officer who provides detail and fidelity to the concept of Accelerated Warfare, a framework for thinking about how the enduring nature of war and its rapidly changing characteristics in this age of social media, artificial intelligence and contemporaneous conflict and competition. In this fascinating presentation, Brigadier Langford provides some chilling insights into the future of the world in the next two generations and impact of …

Jointly hosted by the: Australian Army Research Centre Sea Power Centre - Australia Air Power Development Centre Location:  ADFA, Adams Auditorium, Canberra The Keynote address was delivered by BRIG R. Iron (UK Retd) – The Need for Speed, The Case of Operation Palliser Other topics discussed were: Instability and Climate Change The View from the Pacific Logistic readiness, how much is enough Liquid fuel supply and rapid response Tonga Case Study JAM-GC concepts, challenges and integration East Timor Case …

One thing that occupies the minds of a lot of people in the ADF, is the future of force design.  One of the key considerations for future force design is, what are the mission sets that we are preparing our people for? That's where our seminar today comes in because we're speaking about the train, advise and assist mission set.  As our speaker points out, the ADF don't currently have forces specifically orientated to the mission of train, advise and assist. Instead this mission is regarded as something any …

Mr. Rubin was founder and first director (1991-1999) of the Israel Missile Defense Organization in the Israel Ministry of Defense, which developed, produced and deployed the country’s first national defence shield – the Arrow missile. He subsequently served as Senior Director for Proliferation and Technology in the National Security Council (1999-2001), and directed several defence programs at the Israel Aerospace Industries and in the defence ministry. He was twice awarded the Israel Defense Prize (1996 …