Strategy and Engagement - Research Projects
The Art of Air Power: Sun Tzu Revisited
This book, The Art of Air Power: Sun Tzu Revisted, is based on detailed study of a large number of currently available translations, commentaries and reviews of the ancient classic Sun Tzu's Art of War. The book explains the great Master's paradigms in a contemporary military conext, taking into account the changed nature of security and conflict in the 21st century. It further relates the military strategy derived from this analysis to the application of air power at the strategic and operational level within the contemporary conflict arena. Although SunTzu wrote his treatise at a time when air power was not even a dream, it contains certain universal truths about the application of all military power that transcend time and operating dimensions. The author brings forward these terse, aphoristic statements - unsurpassed in examining and understanding conflict situations, from the grand strategic to the battlefield tactical - within the contemporary military and air power scenario in a way that will be more readily understood by current practitioners of the complex art of military strategy.
Systemic Air Operations Theory
This book reviews current concepts that guide air operations and suggests a more inclusive manner in which air power can be employed effectively in diverse conditions, independently, as a critical part of a joint campaign or as part of larger coalition operations. It takes into account the resource intensive nature of air power and the constraints under which all smaller air forces operate. It also suggests the need to maintain the autonomy of the air campaign while being integrated to the joint campaign plans to ensure optimised employment of scarce air assets. This is a futurustic look at air power with a firm foundation in current operational considerations.
2009 Chief of Air Force Symposium and UAS Seminar
APDC is responsible for the organisation of two closed seminars in association with the 2009 Australian International Air Show. The conferences are being organised on behalf of the Chief of Air Force and will be conducted in Melbourne ahead of the start of the Airshow.
2010 RAAF Air Power Conference
2010 will see the return to Canberra of a two-day RAAF Air Power Conference. The conference will be conducted in late March 2010 on the theme of The Art of Air Power and will reflect past, present and future considerations for today's Air Force. Further information will be posted on the events webpage as it becomes available.
Publications Program
Strategy and Engagement manages a significant publications program which will see a number of books, papers and Pathfinders published in 2009. Information on forthcoming publications and access to published works can be accessed through the Publications portal.