Abstract Commanders in the Australian Army pride themselves on sound military decision- making based on thorough analysis of the threat, terrain and their higher commander’s intent. Yet this self-assurance is misleading. The employment of existing military planning tools should lead commanders to develop adaptable tactical solutions that account for the vulnerabilities in a given threat system. However, tactical military commanders often do not conduct a detailed appreciation of the threat system or, if …

Abstract Although not deliberate, a significant risk to Army’s operational security is the current use of mobile telephony by senior Army leaders. Senior Army leaders use mobile telephony to receive and provide information that is distilled, timely and accurate, offering an enemy force or a strategic competitor high value information for little effort. Conversely, significant investment has been made to secure Army’s tactical communications, where information is mostly disaggregated and short- term. Some …

The Chauvel Prize is an annual award presented to an eligible recipient whose published Australian Army Journal article best contributes to the debate on future land warfare. The prize is named after Sir Henry George Chauvel (1865–1945), more usually known as Sir Harry Chauvel, who was the first Australian to reach the rank of Lieutenant General and later General. He was also the first to lead a corps and, as commander of the Desert Mounted Corps, was responsible for one of the most decisive victories and …

The Next Great War?: The Roots of World War I and the Risk of U.S.–China Conflict Edited by Richard N. Rosencrance and Steven Miller, The MIT Press, 2015 ISBN 9780262028998, 313pp, US$27.00 A century ago, Europe’s diplomats mismanaged the crisis triggered by the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, plunging the world into the First World War, which killed millions, toppled dynasties, and destroyed empires. Today, as the hundredth anniversary of the Great War prompts renewed debate about war’s …

Abstract Handguns are increasingly being recognised as a vital piece of equipment for the protection of deployed soldiers. With the correct holster, a handgun can be brought into action faster than the F88 and M4 rifles can be reloaded. Handguns thus play a critical back-up role in the event of catastrophic failure of the primary weapon. Indeed, in some circumstances, it makes sense for the handgun to supersede the rifle as the primary weapon. This article provides a detailed analysis of the current …

Abstract This article sets out a bold training investment opportunity for the Australian Army — a multinational, large-scale urban warfare training centre. Australia’s current training facilities fall significantly short of what is required to prepare force elements the size of battle groups and larger formations for either short-duration or sustained operations in the urban littoral. Urban warfare is an Army-wide skill set, not a specialisation restricted to members of Special Operations Command. …

Abstract The first version of the Australian Defence Force Gap Year—Army (ADFGY-A) program, which ran between 2007 and 2012, aimed to develop a pool of willing applicants who would extend their commitment to the Army. 1 Although it has often been cited as a success, when the quantitative outcomes are reviewed more closely the extent of its success becomes somewhat ambiguous and largely dependent on views on the ADFGY-A program’s purpose. Despite the possibility that some intangible and immeasurable …

Abstract The Australian Army is investing a high proportion of its capability in operations, turning to the deployment of reservists to supplement the number of full-time soldiers available to deploy. While demand for Army reservists has increased, total force numbers have been decreasing. Defence-sponsored surveys of serving reservists are designed to analyse their motivation for serving from a quantitative standpoint. This paper presents the findings of doctoral research using a qualitative approach to …

Abstract Army’s military history is not some curio simply to be admired. Events that took place many decades ago, many thousands of kilometres away and against very different adversaries to those faced today still provide valuable lessons for modern commanders. This article examines the little-known capture of Rommel’s signals intelligence unit by an Australian battalion in North Africa in July 1942 as a case in point. It identifies how risks taken by German commanders compromised not just Rommel’s …

Abstract This article explores the establishment of an operationally-orientated organisation to effect regional capacity building, which might serve as a focal point for coordinating unorthodox responses to contemporary security challenges within the region. Such an organisation would be capable of providing strategic deterrence through the employment of land-based anti-ship missiles to deny maritime chokepoints in an Australianised version of an anti-access, area-denial strategy. Habitual …