Page 92 - Australian Defence Magazine June 2021

90 LAND FORCES PROTECTION
JUNE 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
PROTECTING THE PROTECTORS
Whether planning a mission, directing operations or acquiring new capability, the protection of ADF personnel and assets is front of mind for its commanders. In this article, Rob Napier examines some of the ways Capability Managers are approaching land force protection.
ROB NAPIER | MELBOURNE
WHEREVER Australian forces are deployed around the world, there are unavoidable risks to the men and women who serve in uniform. Minimising those risks begins with an effective intelligence capability and significant investment in secure technology, training and tactics.
How does a military force protect itself? While the con- ventional answer is to field the superior force, this is not a complete answer. When two near-peer powers meet on a battlefield, large numbers of casualties can be expected – demonstrating that force alone is not enough to protect the combatants. Experienced commanders and capability man- agers know that force protection is not a matter of chance. It takes planning, commitment and attention to detail.
AN ERA OF RAPID SPECIALISATION
The ADF has moved towards a ‘total force’ comprising uniformed combat forces supported by civilian contrac-
tors and specialists. It now employs a core team of spe- cialists, supported by contractors who perform non-core roles, and is believed to be a more cost effective and more capable military organisation.
This shift brings the protection of its forces into sharper focus as specialisation presents new challenges to plan- ners and commanders: Large numbers of casualties are not only unacceptable in modern society, strategically a significant loss in capability can be fatal for a small force. When soldiers become casualties, the skills of essential and sometimes highly specialised personnel cannot be
ABOVE: Australian Army forward observer Gunner Zeke Barker, from the 8th/12th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, uses the Sophie-MF long-range thermal imager to provide battlefield commentary as part of Exercise Maroon Dawn at Cultana Training Area, SA
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