- Sep 2, 2018
- 6 min
Preparing to Fight for the Skies Part 1 – <em> Robert Vine </em>
02 September 2018 Since the end of the Cold War, Western air operations and training have been built on wresting control of the air over target areas from a defensive adversary to enable follow-on operations. But what if the adversary sought to expand their freedom of action in the air while simultaneously repelling Western efforts to do the same? In this two-part series, Robert Vine examines whether the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) force structure and training regimen i
- Feb 18, 2018
- 4 min
#highintensitywar: A series introduction – <em> Editors of The Central Blue and From Balloons
18 February 2018 During 2017, a major war on the Korean Peninsula became a distinct possibility. As the rhetoric over North Korea’s nuclear program heated up, the preparedness of Western militaries to engage in a major war, and the likely cost of such a conflict became regular features in the news cycle. This has had the effect of transforming discussions of a major state-on-state war in Asia away from abstract, Thucydides-inspired notions of a China-United States conflict, t
- Dec 10, 2017
- 7 min
Manned-Unmanned Teaming: “MUM-T’s the Word” — <em>Donald Woldhuis & Michael S
The integration of manned and unmanned systems may be the next step in the evolution of air operations. In this post, Donald Woldhuis and Michael Spencer describe the US Army’s approach to integrating tactical unmanned systems with the AH-64 Apache, referred to as Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T). Is this a capability that smaller forces should be looking to when considering the replacement of their battlefield helicopter fleets? New battlefield helicopter capabilities are bei
- Jul 23, 2017
- 6 min
Learning from Exercise BROLGA STRIKE — <em>Emily Chapman</em>
Military exercises provide an opportunity to observe how Defence doctrine is put into action in the field. Here, Flight Lieutenant Emily Chapman provides lessons and reflections from her participation in the Tactical Air Control Party on Army’s Exercise BROLGA STRIKE. Exercise BROLGA STRIKE was the 3rd Combat Brigade’s Combined Arms Training Activity (CATA) conducted over the period 01 Jun – 16 Jun, including a Live Fire Exercise (LFX) component. Almost 3 000 personnel deploy
- Jul 16, 2017
- 6 min
An ISR Force by Design — <em>Paul Hay</em>
This week saw the Australian Defence Force (ADF) undertake its largest amphibious landing since the Second World War as part of its largest and most complex joint and combined exercise, Talisman Sabre. In this post, Wing Commander Paul Hay argues that the Government’s investment in airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities presents the Air Force and the ADF with unprecedented opportunities to enhance land and littoral operations. But, he argues
- Mar 7, 2017
- 4 min
Can Air Force prioritise Jointness? – <em>Stephen Edgeley</em>
When it comes to prioritising jointness, Air Force’s history isn’t great. Perhaps it’s time for the RAAF to appreciate that, for its future combat capabilities to be fully effective, it must change. RAAF helicopters and Australian Army soldiers, Vietnam, c. 1967. Credit: RAAF In Air Force Strategy 2017-2027 Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Leo Davies, states that Air Force will “promote a commitment to jointness in Air Force culture such that Air Force members recognise their
- Jan 19, 2017
- 3 min
Innovation versus “Platformitis” – <em>Alan Stephens</em>
Are Western defence forces obsessed with platforms at the expense of technological innovation? According to a recent history of the US’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa), they are; furthermore, that reactionary mindset has hampered their development. Innovation or Platformitis? Australia’s next submarine, 20 years and $50 billion away In 1945, the great American air commander General H.H. “Hap” Arnold contended that it is essential for an air force to “keep i
- Dec 14, 2016
- 6 min
Chicken and Egg: Progressing Air-Land Integration – <em>Nathan Thompson</em>
One of the key ways of improving air-land integration in the Australian Defence Force is through the conduct of effective joint exercises. In this post, Squadron Nathan Thompson identifies some of the barriers to effective air-land integration and proposes a solution through the adaptation of existing Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force’s single-service focussed exercises. The Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) are very different organisation
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