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Nick Kaldas served for almost 35 years as a NSW Police officer in Sydney, & held two of the most senior roles in Police Force executive, serving as Deputy Commissioner and prior to that, Assistant Commissioner. His policing career has primarily been in major crime investigations & operations, including counter-terrorism, protection operations, armed robbery, major drug investigations, covert operations, emergency management, community policing and over a decade in homicide investigations. He was a member …

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is a period of transformational change. Army’s organisational design and combat forces are dominated by technologies and structures created by the last military transformation. To be ‘ready now and future ready’, the Australian Army must understand the implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and develop mechanisms to change by design. This presentation will describe the Fourth Industrial Revolution through its drivers, exploring patterns of technological change in …

Russian and Chinese influence operations portend war’s changing character. Technology may enable Sun Tzu’s ideal of victory without fighting. What are the psychological processes that enable influence within ‘political warfare’? Memes in social media newsfeeds are an effective tool for mass manipulation since they are un-attributable and readily created. This ANU study examined American responses to ‘loaded’ content presented as a meme, such as this image. Content was perceived as true or prejudiced …

Hear Lieutenant General (Rtd) Sean MacFarland share his experiences from his recent deployments in Syria and Iraq leading the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve, and within the US Army's Training and Doctrine Command. … Thoughts on Future …

Hear two key commanders present at the operations give their thoughts about the strategic and operational lessons learned from their involvement in the Falklands War.  As an example of the small scale type of amphibious operation Australia may have to conduct in the future, this presentation will provide a unique opportunity for contemporary and future planners to hear about the opportunities and obstacles that were faced by the British commanders at the time. … Amphibious Operations and the Falklands …

For more than 40 years, experienced and reputable K&R/E response consultancies, primarily operating out of the UK, have advised clients on how to negotiate the release of kidnap victims safely, in a timely manner, and for an appropriate ransom sum. Warwick will argue that government agencies, restricted by ill-considered and inflexible government policy, impenetrable layers of hierarchy, multiple decision-makers, crass politics and inexperience, ignorance and fear, are inherently unable to achieve success …

“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 …

What are the forces shaping the operating environment since 9/11? In an era of constant competition, can it be argued that the character of war is ever changing? What challenges do those two questions pose for contemporary military forces and other national security providers? Colonel Ian Langford’s presentation offers some thought provoking insights on this complex issue. … Emerging Security Challenges in a Post-9/11 Operating …

The Fourth Industrial Revolution will drive major changes in the character of war. It is creating a family of small, smart, and cheap weapons that will provide even small states with capabilities that until recently were the preserve of major powers. These developments will require major changes in operational concepts, as well as service organisations, training, and equipment. … The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Changing Character of …

Studies examining mental disorder and terrorist involvement have a convoluted history. Early studies were correctly debunked on methodological grounds, but the existing consensus, that mental disorder never plays a role in terrorism, is likely to be false when we consider the complexity and diversity of the problem. Instead, there are likely to be a range of mental disorders across the arc of terrorist involvement. This work addresses the current discord in the understanding of the potential role of …