By Robbin Laird A week after the completion of the October 24, 2019 Williams Foundation Seminar, I had a chance to talk with Air Marshal (Retired) Geoff Brown about the main findings from the Seminar and the way ahead for the Seminar series. Question: What do you consider the main…
By Marcus Hellyer One of the ironies of the current debate about how Australia should adjust its military strategy in light of the changing great-power balance in the Indo-Pacific is that many of the participants—regardless of their views on the future of US military power—make similar recommendations, namely, that Australia…
By Robbin Laird To achieve the kind of agility and decisive effect which 5th generation maneouver can achieve requires a significant re-focus on the nature of the C2 and ISR infrastructure. Such an evolved infrastructure enables the legacy and new platforms which are re-shaping capabilities for the combat force to…
By Robbin Laird The Williams Foundation Seminar held on October 24, 2019 focused on the requirements of fifth generation manoeuvre. At this session, the focus was upon the changing nature of the regional context for Australia and how the fifth generation force needed to evolve to operate effectively in the…
By Robbin Laird At the recently concluded Williams Foundation Seminar held in Canberra, Australia on October 24, 2019, the series launched in 2013 to discuss the nature and impact of fifth generation force capabilities in the defense of Australia and its capabilities to work with core allies continued. At this…
By Robbin Laird It is always a pleasure to sit down and talk with Vice Admiral (Retired) Tim Barrett. I learn a lot and have a chance to clarify and crystalize what I am learning about the evolution of the Navy and the ADF going forward. This time we met…
At the 45th Essington Lewis Memorial Lecture delivered this week in Adelaide, Rear Admiral (Retired) Kevin Scarce provided his perspective of the need for Australia to shape an “integrated and wholistic approach” to the threats facing Australia. And in so doing argued that without a broader public engagement this would…
By Robbin Laird Syria is being controlled by Russia and Turkey, two elements of the rise of 21st century authoritarianism. While the EU discusses and while the United States retreats or whatever it is doing, Turkey and Russia are shaping the territory from which the migration crisis is holding Europe…
