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Space as a Strategic Geography

Pete Wooding
Australian Defence Force
 

The ASEAN-Australia Maritime Security Research Program investigates how ASEAN military forces can address maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, with ASEAN at its centre. While navies have traditionally led maritime security efforts, many contemporary challenges require contributions from multiple domains. As militaries increasingly pursue multi-domain approaches, opportunities for air forces to contribute to maritime security are likely to expand.

Lessons for the ADF from Operation Spider's WebKeirin Joyce, Joshua Vicino, Michael Spencer, and Matthew ChapmanAustralian Defence Force

The 'poor man's air force' is a term for employing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hobbyist drones or uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) to strategic level military effect, and that effect cannot be understated (Waters, 2018; Nadeau, 2022; Shift, 2023). The ability for terror organisations to coordinate multiple layers of effects, including using COTS drones, to destroy Command and Control (C2) nodes in Israel causes alarm. Couple this with the use of COTS drones for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, strike and battle-damage assessment missions, and the threat posed by what are essentially toys is alarmingly real.

In terms of National Power in the past, the majority of modern “Grey-Zone” activities centred on clear Diplomatic, Information, non-lethal Military and Economic actions. What is concerning are the blurred lines developing between these instruments, where often State actions do not meet perceived intent creating confusion in the rules-based global order.

For several decades, the relationship between Australia and India seemed limited to Commonwealth, cricket and curry.

The onset of the war in Ukraine saw one of the most dramatic shifts in combined arms warfare since the introduction of the machine gun. This shift is attributed to the wide scale introduction of drones to the modern battlefield (Kagan et al, 2024). Principally the conflict is demonstrating drones pioneering new capabilities in reconnaissance, close air support and strategic strike with virtually zero risk to the operator.

The Temptation To Go Beyond Conventional Long-Range Strike

Daniel Cook
Australian Defence Force