Whether one is a proponent of the 'information revolution' or a more gradual evolution in the development, use and reach of information communications technology, there can be no denying that the emergence of cyberspace and the ever-increasing interconnectedness of technology has had significant social, economic and political effect in Australia and globally.
The effectiveness of Australian air power depends on the intellect of the airmen that employ it. Such a statement may seem trite at first but the reality is that airmen spend precious little time developing their faculties for reasoning and critical thinking.
Between 2003 and 2015, Australia suffered a 50 per cent reduction in its domestic crude oil refining capacity, largely because of the closure of refineries at Port Stanvac (South Australia) in 2003, Clyde (NSW) in 2012, Kurnell (NSW) in 2014, and Bulwer Island (Queensland) in 2015 (Byrnes et al., 2013). If remedial measures are not undertaken, it is projected that by 2030 Australia will have lost all its refining capability (Wraith, 2013).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have been a longstanding part but much under-acknowledged element of the ADF. These first Australians have served with distinction from the Boer War to the mo...
Review(s) of: Kampong Australia: The RAAF at Butterworth, by Mathew Radcliffe, NewSouth Publishing: Sydney, 2017, 297 pages, ISBN: 978-1-7422-3514-1, $39.99.
Russia's annexation of Crimea was like a magician sawing a woman in half: mysterious, orchestrated and cunning. President Putin's illusion began on 20 February 2014, after several months of protests threatening the government of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, and culminated in the pro-Kremlin leader fleeing Kiev for Moscow. As opposition protestors seized control of the Ukrainian Parliament and voted for a new direction for Ukraine, Putin led his audience through tales of misinformation, diverting their attention away from the realities of the magic box at the centre of his act.
Review(s) of: The shadow men: The leaders who shaped the Australian Army from the veldt to Vietnam, edited by Craig Stockings and John Connor, NewSouth Publishing: Sydney, 2017, 288 pages, ISBN: 978-1-7422-3474-8, $34.99.
Geographical mobility is an accepted part of life for a military spouse, as is dealing with extended absences of one’s partner from the home. The aim of this study was to understand the experiences of being a spouse of an Australian Defence Force member who is posted overseas. An asynchronous virtual focus group was conducted with 23 Australian women who accompanied their military spouse on an overseas posting for at least twelve months. Key themes identified from the data were sacrifices for the good of the family; adjustments to new environment; seeking support; and personality and resilience. The provision of more appropriate and relevant support resources before and after the posting would improve adaptation to change experienced by the military spouse and their family.
Review(s) of: Margin of victory: Five battles that changed the face of modern war, by Douglas MacGregor, Naval Institute Press: Annapolis, 2016, 270 pages, ISBN: 978-1-6125-1996-8, US$34.95.
One of the characterising features of the early 21st century, both in Australia and among English-speaking democracies, is the phenomenon of the military becoming increasingly involved in areas traditionally considered the responsibility of police, while elements of the police are simultaneously becoming more militaristic.1 Historically, a close ideological and operational alliance between the police and military has been associated with repressive regimes.2
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leapt to public prominence when the Iraqi city of Mosul fell to its forces in 2014, demonstrating a spectacular military success for ISIL but also being portrayed as a strategic shock to the West. However, rather than reinforcing this 'strategic shock' narrative, this article will argue a countervailing view that ISIL did not emerge spontaneously but rather over the preceding decade as a consequence of the broader 'war on terrorism', the failure of the Arab Spring and the alienation of Sunni populations in Iraq.
Review(s) of: The ministry of ungentlemanly warfare: Churchill's mavericks, plotting Hitler's defeat, by Giles Milton, Hodder and Stoughton: London, 2016, 368 pages, ISBN: 978-1-4447-9895-1, $45.
Technological edge on the battlespace has been one of Australia's military advantages within Southeast Asia. This is partly due to the relative larger size of the Australian economy and its ability to procure advanced defence systems compared to the region. However, by 2030, it is envisaged that Australia will slip to being the 23rd largest economy in the world, slightly smaller than Thailand's and similar in size to Malaysia's (Hawksworth and Chan, 2015). This will significantly erode Australia's financial advantage, as other regional nations will be able to afford advanced weapon systems, including cutting- edge cyber capabilities.
In this article, I offer some thoughts on command at sea in the modern era. This is very much a personal perspective that will hopefully be of interest not only to those who will embark on such a command but also to those who need to appreciate the vicissitudes of this complex environment.
In essence, McLachlan was arguing that there is nothing new in cyber warfare; rather, it involves the application of established military methods in a new warfighting domain. It is, therefore, important for the ADF to consider how to deal with the Clausewitzian characteristics of chance, uncertainty and friction in cyberspace and how cyberspace can be used to facilitate the application of violence to damage the will or change the behaviour of an adversary.
ADF personnel are arguably exposed to the most diverse range of occupational and environmental hazards of any Australian workforce. Controlling these hazards is complicated not only by the number, size and complexity of ADF workplaces but also by its workforce demographics.
Review(s) of: Warrior elite: Australia's special forces Z force to the SAS, intelligence operations to cyber warfare, by Robert Macklin, Hachette, Sydney, 2015, 400 pages, ISBN 978-0-7336-3291-4, $35.
Review(s) of: Before Jutland: The naval war in Northern European waters, August 1914 - February 1915, by James Goldrick, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 2015, 382 pages, ISBN 978-1-5911-4349-9, US$44.95.
