The strategic landscape continues to change in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. The globe is becoming increasingly volatile and the rise of China is accelerating shifts in the balance of power.
This paper describes Australia’s current amphibious capability. The Australian Amphibious Force is able to employ a landing force of up to battalion-group strength over the spectrum of operations from the provision of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to high-end warfighting, the latter capability having been tested, in conjunction with allies, during Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2019.
In a friendly port in the not-too-distant future a young frigate sailor scrolls through his smart-phone. He is about to get underway on a patrol in a sensitive and potentially hostile area and wants to hear from home before he loses connectivity for a month. On this occasion, however, instead of seeing updates from his friends back home, the sailor’s news feed is bombarded with dramatic images that he can scarcely believe.
The rise of Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) in all spheres of warfare has accelerated in recent times to a point where constant revision of tactics and procedures is now common practice1.
Cyberspace is a component of the global information domain consisting of the interdependent network of information technology infrastructures, including the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and controllers, and their resident data (ADF, 2010).
Australia is a unique organism with its circulatory system on the outside of its body. The Australian government’s requirement to protect its lifelines has transformed with the emergence of the Indo-Pacific economic rise.
Although Robert Haddick’s book ‘Fire on the Water’ is now a few years old, its subject matter continues to dominate the strategic outlook of the Indo-Pacific region.
On the face of it, these two hypothetical tactical situations appear to be very similar. In both cases, intelligence provides information regarding the capability, intent and preparedness of an adversary to inflict potentially lethal damage.
HMAS Diamantina has been operationally deployed ISO Operation RESOLUTE 2015 and Operation RENDER SAFE 2016 in recent years and during both operations utilised the cheap yet highly effective technology of a recreational drone.