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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 …

The biggest event in Australia for the Defence industry, Land Forces 2022 was held in October 2022 in Brisbane.  The expo featured  810 exhibitors and had a strong multinational flavour, including 159 delegates from 30 nations.  Over three days, there were a total of 20,000 attendees at the event.  For Army members, Land Forces represented not only an excellent opportunity to see what future platforms may become available, but also to get a better understanding of emerging technologies that industry is …

Major James Eling is a Reserve Artillery Officer, having most recently served as Battery Commander 2/10 Battery. In his civilian job he runs an IT company specialising in cyber security and using agile methodologies to build software. He is also the producer of The Principles of War podcast . … James …

This Strategic Assessment provides insights into the global supply chain issues that will shape Defence’s ability to maintain adequate war stocks of strike weapons. It discusses the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Western stockpiles, the diversification of rare earth processing and the increasing pressure on Western militaries to secure their stockpiles of strike weapons. These topics have been emphasised on the basis of their significance to long-term strategic decision making, the formation …

Securing a Point of Entry to Facilitate Littoral Manoeuvre in the Near Region The recent release of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR) has brought littoral operations – and all that these entail – back into the limelight. The Australian Army has received explicit guidance that it ‘must be transformed and optimised for littoral manoeuvre operations by sea, land and air from Australia, with enhanced long range fires.’ [1] This new specialised focus will be a challenge for Army. Although it possesses a strong …

A Wargame Experiment Arguably the biggest challenge for law-and-ethics-abiding military forces engaged in urban warfare is their current reliance on standoff firepower to reduce their own casualties while allowing progress against adversaries who are concealed and protected. As is the case in operations conducted on rural terrain, this tactic is essential to overcome defensive urban advantages . However, it is less palatable or even counterproductive in cities because of the associated civilian suffering . …

  Army uses radar in a variety of ways, including mobile radar systems to detect and target land and air threats, such as enemy artillery fire, planes and tanks. As military technology evolves and threats diversify, Army wants to know if quantum microwave sensors can enhance existing radar systems to detect smaller and weaker scattering targets that are moving faster and are further away, while emitting less power. Quantum sensors operate completely differently to existing sensors. Finding the optimal …

Quantum Next Generation (QNG) 2021 Quantum Camouflage Challenge QNG21 was the first in a regular series of technology challenges involving Australia’s talented postgraduate students, early career researchers, and early-stage start-up entrepreneurs. Army understands that this next generation will ultimately drive the growth of Australia’s quantum industry and deliver Army the sovereign quantum advantage it desires. QNG21 aimed to embolden, orientate, network and develop this next generation while solving an …