Australian Defence Force: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|National military force of Australia}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=DecemberJune 20172024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox national military
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| flying_hours =
| website = <!--{{URL|example.mil}}-->
<!-- Leadership -->| commander-in-chief = [[DavidSam HurleyMostyn]]<ref name=ACs68/>
| commander-in-chief_title = [[Commander-in-Chief (Australia)|Commander-in-Chief]]
| chief minister = [[Anthony Albanese]]
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| minister = [[Richard Marles]]
| minister_title = [[Minister for Defence (Australia)|Minister for Defence]]
| commander = GeneralAdmiral [[AngusDavid CampbellJohnston (generaladmiral)|AngusDavid CampbellJohnston]]
| commander_title = [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|Chief of the Defence Force]]
<!-- Manpower -->| age = {{plainlist|
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===Iraq and Afghanistan===
Since 2000, the ADF's expanded force structure and deployment capabilities have been put to the test on several occasions. Following the [[September 11 September attacks|11 September 2001 terrorist attacks]] on the United States, Australia committed a [[special forces]] task group and an [[air-to-air refuelling]] aircraft to operations in [[Afghanistan]], and naval warships to the Persian Gulf as [[Operation Slipper]].{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|pp=8–9}} In 2003, approximately 2,000 ADF personnel, including a special forces task group, three warships and 14 [[F/A-18 Hornet]] aircraft, took part in the [[Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]].{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|p=248}}
 
The ADF was subsequently involved in the reconstruction of Iraq. From 2003 until 2005 this was mainly limited to a [[Security Detachment Iraq (Australia)|Security Detachment]] which protected the Australian embassy, the attachment of officers to multi-national headquarters, small numbers of transport and maritime patrol aircraft, and teams of air traffic controllers and medical personnel.<ref name="Fielding Concluding Australia's Military Commitment in Iraq">{{cite web|last1=Fielding|first1=Marcus|title=Concluding Australia's Military Commitment in Iraq|url=http://www.mhhv.org.au/?p=340|publisher=Military History and Heritage Victoria|access-date=31 December 2016|archive-date=31 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231170415/http://www.mhhv.org.au/?p=340|url-status=live}}</ref> From 2005 until 2008 a [[battalion]]-sized Australian Army battle group (initially designated the [[Al Muthanna Task Group]], and later [[Overwatch Battle Group (West)]]) was stationed in southern Iraq. In addition, teams of ADF personnel were deployed to train Iraqi military units. In line with a 2007 election commitment, the [[Rudd government (2007–10)|Rudd government]] withdrew combat-related forces from Iraq in mid-2008, and most of the remaining Australian units left the country the next year.<ref name="Fielding Concluding Australia's Military Commitment in Iraq" /><ref name="SBS Iraq timeline">{{cite web|title=Timeline: Australian troops in Iraq|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2008/06/02/timeline-australian-troops-iraq|website=SBS News|publisher=SBS|access-date=31 December 2016|date=23 August 2013|archive-date=1 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101002610/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2008/06/02/timeline-australian-troops-iraq|url-status=live}}</ref>
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Singapore and the United States maintain military units in Australia. Two [[Republic of Singapore Air Force]] pilot training squadrons with a total of 230 personnel are based in Australia.{{sfn|International Institute for Strategic Studies|2023|p=232}} The [[Singapore Armed Forces]] also uses the [[Shoalwater Bay|Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area]] in Queensland for large-scale exercises; under the terms of a bilateral agreement, these run for up to 18 weeks each year and involve as many as 14,000 Singaporean personnel.<ref>{{cite web|title=Overview|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/Initiatives/ASMTI/Overview.asp|website=Australia-Singapore Military Training Initiative|publisher=Department of Defence|access-date=31 December 2017|archive-date=1 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101082351/http://www.defence.gov.au/Initiatives/ASMTI/Overview.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Philippines Soldiers and Australian Special Forces Soldier, clear a room during close quarters battle training in support of Balikatan 2017 at Fort Magsay in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija, May 12, 2017.jpg | thumb|left|alt=Colour photo of two soldiers armed with rifles inside a building|An Australian commando (at left) training with a Filipino soldier in 2017]]
 
The United States maintains intelligence and communications facilities in Australia which are staffed by 1,700 personnel. The intelligence facilities comprise the [[Pine Gap]] satellite tracking station near [[Alice Springs]] and Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt near [[Exmouth, Western Australia|Exmouth]], Western Australia.{{sfn|International Institute for Strategic Studies|2023|p=232}} Pine Gap is jointly operated by Australian and United States personnel and Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt has been an exclusively Australian-operated facility since 1999.{{sfn|Ball|Robinson|Tranter|2016|pp=53–54}}<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tranter|first1=Richard|title=Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt (North West Cape)|url=https://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/naval-communication-station-harold-e-holt-north-west-cape/|website=Australian Defence Facilities|publisher=Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability|date=8 March 2011|access-date=31 December 2017|archive-date=31 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231155416/https://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/naval-communication-station-harold-e-holt-north-west-cape/|url-status=live}}</ref> In early 2007 the Australian Government approved the construction of a new US communications installation at the Defence Signals Directorate [[Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station]] facility near [[Geraldton, Western Australia|Geraldton]], Western Australia, to provide a ground station for the US-led [[Wideband Global SATCOM|Wideband Global System]] which Australia is partly funding.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tranter|first1=Richard|title=Australian Defence Satellite Communications Station, Kojarena|url=https://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/australian-defence-satellite-communications-station-kojarena/|website=Australian Defence Facilities|publisher=Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability|date=6 October 2014|access-date=31 December 2017|archive-date=31 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231155422/https://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/australian-defence-satellite-communications-station-kojarena/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Stewart|first1=Cameron|title=WA spy station to target terror|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/wa-spy-station-to-target-terror/news-story/f3d2a722366a8def79b58e251f485293|access-date=31 December 2017|work=The Australian|date=8 July 2014}}</ref> The [[United States Military]] also frequently uses Australian exercise areas and these facilities have been upgraded to support joint Australian-United States training.<ref>{{cite news |first=Craig |last=Skehan |author2=Wilkinson, Marian |author3=Murdoch, Lindsay |title=New bases for US forces in far north Australia |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/08/1089000295713.html?from=storylhs |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 July 2004 |access-date=7 April 2007 |archive-date=13 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013072629/http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/08/1089000295713.html?from=storylhs |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2011, the Australian and American Governments announced plans to base on rotational basis a [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Marine Air-Ground Task Force]] in the Northern Territory for training and exercise purposes and increase rotations of [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) aircraft through northern Australia.<ref>{{cite press release |author1=Prime Minister |title=Australia-United States Force Posture Initiatives |url=http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/australia-united-states-force-posture-initiatives |website=Prime Minister |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122083953/http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/australia-united-states-force-posture-initiatives |archive-date=22 November 2011 |date=16 November 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Nicholson|first=Brendan|title=Elite northern unit gives US access in a crisis|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/obama-in-australia/elite-northern-unit-gives-us-access-in-a-crisis/story-fnb0o39u-1226197274548|access-date=20 November 2011|newspaper=The Australian|date=17 November 2011|archive-date=19 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119015951/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/obama-in-australia/elite-northern-unit-gives-us-access-in-a-crisis/story-fnb0o39u-1226197274548|url-status=live}}</ref> As part of this agreement, the [[Marine Rotational Force&nbsp;– Darwin]] has been deployed to Australia for six months each year since 2012. It is planned for this force to eventually comprise around 2,500 personnel with supporting aircraft and equipment.{{sfn|Joint Standing Committee on Treaties|2014|p=3}} The expanded rotations of USAF units to Australia began in early 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=USAF F-22s arrive in Australia for joint training exercises with the RAAF|url=http://australianaviation.com.au/2017/02/usaf-f-22s-head-to-australia-for-joint-training-exercises-with-the-raaf/|access-date=31 December 2017|work=Australian Aviation|date=10 February 2017|archive-date=31 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231212100/http://australianaviation.com.au/2017/02/usaf-f-22s-head-to-australia-for-joint-training-exercises-with-the-raaf/|url-status=live}}</ref>