The Australian Approach to Warfare
Abstract
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is gearing itself to operate effectively in a rapidly changing world where investment, industry, information, and individuals know few boundaries. The so-called Information Age already has had a profound impact on how political, diplomatic, economic, and military power will be exercised in the 21st century. To meet future challenges, the ADF needs an intimate understanding of the changing nature of society. It must be a flexible and adaptable organization, acknowledging the role and limitations of armed force as a means of resolving conflict. The ADF is an important national institution in Australia. Its core function is to defend Australia from armed attack. In carrying out this and all its other functions, the ADF is dependent on the support of the Australian people, is governed by the rule of law, and is subject to the direction of the Commonwealth Government as the civil authority. The way that the ADF is employed reflects Australian values about the primacy of the rule of law and of the civil authority in upholding the rule of law. The Government's use of the ADF also reflects community values about the need for Australia to seek to resist international aggression, relieve human suffering, promote justice and freedom internationally, and protect its borders and Exclusive Economic Zone. For the ADF to remain an honored, disciplined and effective national institution, ADF members will themselves have to understand the key influences on the ADF approach to its conduct of operations, and how these are changing. Also the Australian community should appreciate the factors that shape the ethos of its armed forces and how these factors interact with community standards and ideals. This document sets out, for the benefit of national and international communities and the ADF itself, a clear and concise account of the Australian approach to warfare and of the constitutional, social, geostrategic, and cultural influences on this approach.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA481093
Entities
Organizations
- Department of Defence