Page 68 - Australian Defence Magazine Sep-Oct 2022

68 COMBINED ARMS
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
THE
IMPORTANCE
OF COMBINED
ARMS
In his address to ADM’s Congress in February, then-Acting Head Land Capability, Brigadier Ian Langford, laid out the case
to enable Army to have a combined arms approach to modern peer-on-peer warfare.
ADM STAFF WRITERS
BRIG Langford noted that attendees of the ASPI Cost of De- fence dinner the week before would have noted that the Defence Department’s budget this last financial year repre- sents 2.11 per cent of GDP, or around $48.6 billion dollars, with Army receiving around $9.9 billion to deliver the land component of the joint force.
“Army’s capabilities are more like a game of ‘paper, rock, scissors’; you need all three offensive and defensive capa- bilities in order to be able to meet all threats,” BRIG Lang- ford noted.
“These force structures represent the agility of our land force which cannot be singularly described. Each brings their own strength while depending on the other to cov- er whatever the adversary chooses to attack you with. If you don’t believe me, try playing it with only two elements against someone who retains all three. I am sure that against an opponent who knows what you are missing, that your odds of success will be greatly minimised.”
He added that the investments reflect government direc- tion and the three Strategic Defence Objectives: Shape Aus- tralia’s strategic environment, Deter actions against Austra- lia’s interests, and Respond with credible military force.
“This is in the context of a changing international op- erating environment presenting an array of new and old challenges, with the war in Ukraine being the current and urgent crisis which is right now providing several unique insights, as they relate to the nature and character of war,” he noted.
“Our Army, like others, is studying this conflict very closely. Of particular note, Army’s future investments in capabilities to include operational level, long range offen- sive fires, a resilient digital battle management system, a
world class aviation system and a credible close combat sys- tem are being informed by these real-world events.”
BRIG Langford noted that government will decide on a project which he said was at the core of the ADF’s ability to deploy and sustain a land force as part of a joint, inte- grated, team.
“With respect to Land 400 Phase 3, the decision regard- ing the future of the ADF’s ability to generate a credible land combat system is I think comparable as an essential component to the Joint Force as the RAAF’s Joint Strike Fighter and Navy’s future frigate. It will determine to a certain degree how government chooses to project military power, operate in high threat environments, prepare for all ranges of contingencies, achieve deterrence, balance its