Transcript of a speech delivered by Major General Chris Smith to the U.S. Army Maneuver War Fighter Conference on 17 February 2022 Fort Benning Maneuver Center of Excellence Watch MAJGEN Chris Smith delivering the speech on YouTube Now, I have to admit to being a little bit anxious. Pat has unfairly stuck me between General Flynn and General Abrams – two hard acts to follow and, I get the sense from this week, which is supposed to be about the Indo-Pacific, that the Russian and European flavour of the week …

Brigadier Ian Langford, DSC and Bars, assumed the role of Director-General of Future Land Warfare, Army Headquarters, in December 2018. Brigadier Langford is a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College and the School of Advanced Warfighting. He has a PhD from Deakin University. … Ian …

With Fear of Change By Williamson Murray Cambridge University Press , Cambridge, 2011, 342pp Online ISBN: 9781139005241 Reviewed by BRIG Chris Roberts AM, CSC (Retd.)   The only constant in war is change. Williamson Murray addresses this factor through the lens of five case studies ranging from the Great War (1914-18) to the Yom Kippur War (1973).  Murray has written extensively on the subject of military effectiveness, defining military change during periods of peace as innovation, and during war as …

A big thank you to all the teams and exhibitors involved in the successful conduct of Army’s Quantum Technology Challenge 2022 held in Adelaide earlier this month. Stand by for an in-depth announcement and review of the challenge on the Army Land Power forum soon. This article provides a preview of the recent Quantum Technology Challenge (QTC) 22 Demonstration Day in Adelaide on 10 August 2022. Background The Army’s Quantum Technology Roadmap highlights quantum technology solutions and potential …

The British Fiasco in Norway, 1940 By John Kiszely Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2017, pp. 375 9781107194595 - Hardback 9781316646427 - Paperback Reviewed by Dr Al Palazzo Periodically, one is fortunate to read a book that ticks all the boxes. It is interesting, impeccably written, and professionally relevant — a page turner that you just can’t put down. The kind of book that when you reach the end you think, ‘why did I not read this sooner’ or ask ‘what else has this author written’? John …

The Transformation of the French Army and the Invention of Modern Warfare By Michel Goya (translated by Andrew Uffindell) Pen & Sword , Barnsley, 2018. 323pp 9781473886964 - Hardback Reviewed by BRIG Chris Roberts AM, CSC (Retd.)   A product of his doctoral thesis, Michel Goya, a former Colonel of the French marine infantry, has produced a superb study of the transformation, in all its features, of the French Army during the Great War. The breadth and depth of his work is impressive. Unlike much of the …

In a previous LPF Post , I introduced Dr Albert Palazzo’s controversial argument that the best outcome of a future conflict for Australia, is not to lose - and that not losing must be the basis of Australia’s new military philosophy. This philosophy is deterrence through denial or seeking to deny the enemy its objective. To support this analysis, I focussed on Land Warfare Doctrine 3-0-3 Formation Tactics 2016 as applied to the historical scenario of the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982. For the purpose …

Anant Mishra is an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS). He undertakes his research on interoperability during complex operations. He is a Visiting Fellow at the International Centre for Policing & Security, University of South Wales, Pontypridd. … Anant …

I have followed Albert Palazzo’s work with interest over the years. In his most recent Occasional Paper, Planning to Not Lose: The Australian Army's New Philosophy of War , Palazzo lays out the controversial argument that the best outcome of a future conflict for Australia, is not to lose and not losing must be the basis of Australia’s new military philosophy. In this regard, the following observation particularly caught my attention: Despite the discomfort this proposal may occasion among some of the …

A key part of the AARC’s charter is to enhance the professionalism, leadership and ethical awareness of Australian soldiers and officers. To fulfil its role, one of its directed tasks is the conduct of staff rides and battlefield study tours. These activities involve the deep study of a battle or campaign, the key component of which is an extensive field phase that allows an examination of the actual ground where the fighting occurred. In order to elicit critical discussion and insights that can be applied …