Dr Robbin Laird, Shaping a Way Ahead for Autonomous Defence Capabilities for the ADF by Denial, 17 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Australian Army Drone Racing Team pilots were presented the Inter-Service Championship Team award by Air Vice-Marshal Nicholas Hogan, CSC – Head of Air Capability, during a drone racing event at the Australian International Airshow 2025 at Avalon Airport. March 3, 2025. Credit: Australian Department of Defence On June 5, 2025, I had a cha

Dr Robbin Laird, Strategic Transformation for a New Era: Reworking the Australian’s Army’s Role in Australian Defence, 16 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The Australian Army is undergoing what its leadership describes as the most significant transformation since World War II, fundamentally reshaping itself for an era of great power competition in the Indo-Pacific. This comprehensive adaptation, driven by the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, represents both a strategic

Dr Robbin Laird, Australia and the Way Ahead with Autonomous Systems, 15 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) During my visit to Australia in May-June 2025, I have focused significantly on the coming of autonomous systems and how to incorporate them effectively into the Australian Defence Force and for security operations. I have published a new book which looks specifically at the paradigm shift in maritime operations and how maritime autonomous systems are key drivers i

Dr Robbin Laird, Reshaping Combined Arms Operations: Lessons Learned from Drone Warfare Operations, 14 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) We have a growing experience with drone warfare and its impacts. The best way to understand their impact is how they have already re-shaped combined arms operations. Notably when combined with payload revolution and fifth generation warfare operations, as seen in the recent Israeli operation in Iran, drones are becoming a key part of

Dr Robbin Laird, The Autonomous Revolution: How Australia Could Transform Defense Through Maritime Robotics, 13 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) On May 28, 2025, Michael Shoebridge, Director of Strategic Analysis Australia, and I travelled to Melbourne, Australia to visit C2 Robotics which is described on its website as follows: “C2 Robotics specialises in the rapid development of cutting edge robotics and autonomous systems for Defence applications across the maritim

Dr Robbin Laird, The Maritime Revolution: How Autonomous Vessels Are Reshaping Naval Strategy, 12 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The era of autonomous maritime operations has quietly arrived, moving beyond experimental trials to become operational reality. A recent conversation with Robert Dane, CEO of OCIUS, underscores how autonomous vessels are fundamentally changing naval operations—and why traditional naval thinking must evolve to harness their potential. OCIUS

Dr Robbin Laird, Training for Modern Airpower Operations: How to Address the Challenges, 9 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) On June 3, 2025, I had a chance to meet with Air Vice-Marshal Glen Braz, Air Commander Australia, to follow up on his participation in the Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar held on May 23, 2025. What I specifically wanted to talk with him about is the key challenges facing training an air combat force which is fifth-generation enabled. As I

Dr Robbin Laird, Shaping a Way Ahead for the Australian Defence Force in the Context of Global Strategic Transition, 3 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) At the May 22, 2025 Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Forces, recently outlined the nation’s evolving approach to national security in a comprehensive address. Chipman describes Australia’s security environment as “complex and deteriorating,” with

Dr Robbin Laird, Training for Modern Airpower Operations: How to Address the Challenges, 3 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) I had the opportunity to meet with Lt. General Simon Stuart, Chief of the Australian Army in. his office on 19 May 2025. We discussed a specific aspect of the way ahead for the Australian Army, namely its role in Australian littoral operations. In an era where geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region are significant, the Australian Army i

Dr Robbin Laird, An Update on the Royal Australian Air Force: A Conversation with Air Marshal Chappell, 2 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) At the May 22, 2025 Sir Richard Williams Foundation Seminar, Air Marshal Geoff Brown (Retd), former Chief of Air Force 2011-2015), talked with Air Marshal Chappell (current Chief of Air Force since July 2024) about the current state of the RAAF and the way ahead. Air Marshal Chappell emphasized that the Royal Australian Air Force i

Dr Robbin Laird, The Need to Speed Delivery for the Ready Force and Enabling a More Cost-Effective Future Force, 1 June 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The second panel during the Sir Richard Williams seminar held on May 22, 2025 was composed of members of the Australian defence industry and was chaired by Katherine Ziesing, Sir Richard Williams Foundation. She posed questions throughout and drove a more integrated discussion than would have occurred otherwise. The member

Dr Robbin Laird, Air Power and the Challenge of Shaping an Effective Ready Force Which Can Deliver Deterrence by Denial, 29 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The first of two panels held at the Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar on May 22, 2025 was entitled a “Cost Per Effect” panel. It was chaired by Air Marshal (Retd) Darren Goldie and the panelists were: Air Vice Marshal Glen Braz, Air Commander Australia Professor Justin Bronk. Air Vice Marshal John Haly, Head

Dr Robbin Laird, Enhancing the Ready Force: Providing the Optimal Mix to Deliver the Desired Combat Effect, 28 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Sustaining and equipping the ready force in dynamically changing operational conditions is a major challenge facing the ADF and those of its allies. A critical metric for evaluating approaches for how to deliver a cost desired effect is simply comparing the use of force packages or what I prefer to call the combat clusters up a

Dr Robbin Laird, Budgeting for an Enhanced Ready Force, 27 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) If the strategic environment is driving an enhanced need to bulk up the capabilities of the ready force, where will the money come from to do so? And just as significantly, would recasting and reinforcing the fight tonight force with new means such as maritime autonomous systems change the approach to future force building? Dr. Marcus Hellyer, Head of Research at Strategic Analy

Dr Robbin Laird, Enhancing Non-Kinetic Capabilities in the Ready Force, 26 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) At the 22 May 2025 Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar, GPCAPT Marija Jovanovich, Chief of Staff of the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, underscored a crucial approach for enhancing the combat capability and success of the ready force. This is the ability of deceiving the adversary to the point whereby they simply do not know where best to strike and to not b

Dr Robbin Laird, A Blueprint for Action for the USAF: How to Enhance Combat Readiness to Meet the Strategic Challenges Facing the U.S. and Its Allies, 26 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) The United States Air Force stands at a critical crossroads. After decades of counterinsurgency operations and peacetime bureaucracy, America’s air arm faces an uncomfortable reality: it may not be adequately prepared for the high-intensity conflicts that could define the next decade.

Dr Robbin Laird, Putting the Nature of the Military Capability Threat from the Multi-Polar Authoritarian World in Perspective, 25 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) In assessing how the question of how to balance long-term force development versus the need to prioritize ways to enhance the ready force in the short to mid-term, a critical consideration is the nature and scope of the military and security threat posed by the global players – the multi-polar authoritarian w

Dr Robbin Laird, Dr. Marcus Hellyer on Breaking the Autonomous Systems Defence Employment Barrier, 24 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) On May 22, 2025, I had a chance to talk with Dr. Marcus Hellyer about a key problem which was raised during his presentation yesterday at the Sir Richard Williams Foundation seminar. Australia faces its most challenging strategic environment since World War II, yet its defense establishment remains locked in outdated thinking that could

Dr Robbin Laird, Australia in Era of Strategic Uncertainty: The Defence Dimension, 23 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Yesterday, the first seminar of 2025 for the Sir Richard Williams Foundation was held at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. The seminar was entitled: The Imperatives for Cost Effectiveness in Multidomain Operations. The program for the seminar laid out the basic aim for the seminar as follows: The 2025 seminar series will identify and discu

Dr Robbin Laird, Air Power in an Age of Strategic Uncertainty: The Perspective of General Moseley, 23 May 2025 Link to article (Defense.info) Recently, General (ret) T Michael “Buzz” Moseley KBE, spoke via video link to the May 22, 2025 seminar held by the Sir Richard Williams Foundation in Canberra, Australia. General Moseley was the 18th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. Moseley was a distinguished war fighter who lived in the world as it is rather than the wor