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The 2024 iteration of the Land Forces series of expositions gets underway at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre today and comes at a time when the Australian Army is in the midst of one of the most fundamental restructure programs in its history.
Coincident with Land Forces 2024 is the Chief of Army Symposium and ADM recently spoke with the current Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, about what the focus will be over the next three days.
“The Chief of Army Symposium is really about the human face of battle,” LTGEN Stuart explains. “The reason that’s important is because our job as military professionals, is to make judgements about the balance between war’s enduring nature and its changing character – and of course, its changing character is heavily influenced by technology. In the 21st Century the rate of change is somewhat exponential.”
This rate of change, together with a deteriorating strategic outlook in the Indo-Pacific region, were the main drivers of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review’s call for a “significant shift” to the force in being. The DSR argued that Army’s then-current ‘balanced force’ approach was no longer viable and called for a shift to a ‘focused force’, capable of conducting long range strike and littoral warfare.
In the 16 months since the DSR’s release in April 2023, LTGEN Stuart says Army has already made significant progress in its transformational journey.
“When I joined the Army in 1987 it was the year of the Defence of Australia White Paper, and that policy document has largely shaped my entire career,” he told ADM. “I would describe the Defence Strategic Review as being of similar weight and gravity, and it will certainly influence the careers of those who are joining us today.
“In that very short 16 months the Army has achieved a huge amount – because speed to effect matters.”
This has resulted in a number of physical changes to the structure of the Army, including the return of the Division as a unit of action, rather than the Brigade under the ‘balanced force’ model. Included in these changes is the creation of two combat divisions – the 1st (Australian) Division, which oversees a number of combat-enabled Brigades, and the 2nd (Australian) Division, responsible for Army’s Reserve units.
Each of these divisions will be supported by Special Operations and Army Aviation commands as required.
“Effectively we’ve completely changed our approach,” LTGEN Stuart adds. “Change implies moving from one set of stable, comfortable circumstances, through a period of turbulence, to another set of stable circumstances.
“That does not reflect the world we live in and we will take a continual adaption mindset – with all the discomfort that brings.”
A full analysis of the changes to Army’s structure and their implications for its capability acquisition programs can be found in the September/October issue of ADM, which will be widely distributed at Land Forces 2024.
In addition, to keep abreast of all the news and events at the show, our website will provide up to the minute information.
If you are visiting the event, please also pay us a visit on Stand GG0.