Australian Defence Force: Difference between revisions

| ranks = [[Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia]]

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During the first decades of the 20th century, the [[Australian Government]] established the armed services as separate organisations, with each service having an independent [[chain of command]]. In 1976, the government made a strategic change and established the ADF to place the services under a single headquarters. Over time, the degree of integration has increased, and tri-service headquarters, logistics, and training institutions have supplanted many single-service establishments. The ADF has been deployed around the world in combat, [[peacekeeping]] and disaster-relief missions.

==Structure==

[[File:Russell Offices in November 2006.jpg|thumb|alt=A group of multi-story office buildings. A lake, mountains and a jet of water are visible in the background.|The ADF headquarters and the main offices of the Department of Defence are located in the [[Russell Offices]] complex in Canberra]]

 

===Command arrangements===

Each of the three services has its own intelligence collection assets.{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=150}} RAN doctrine stresses the importance of collecting a wide range of information and combining it to inform decisions. It also notes that the [[Collins-class submarine|''Collins''-class submarines]] are particularly effective sources of "acoustic, electromagnetic and environmental information".{{sfn|Chief of Navy|2017|pp=19, 165}} The Army's intelligence and surveillance units include the [[1st Intelligence Battalion (Australia)|1st Intelligence Battalion]], [[7th Signal Regiment (Australia)|7th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare)]], [[20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery|20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment]], three [[Regional Force Surveillance Units]] and the [[Australian Special Air Service Regiment|Special Air Service Regiment]].{{sfn|Australian Army|2014|pp=8–9, 27}} The RAAF monitors the airspace of Australia and neighbouring countries using the [[Vigilare]] system, which combines input from the service's [[Jindalee Operational Radar Network]], other ADF air defence radars (including airborne and naval systems) and civilian air traffic control radars.{{sfn|Pittaway|2014|p=76}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Kerr|first=Julian|title=Vigilare up and running|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/vigilare-up-and-running/story-e6frg8yo-1225940235791|access-date=5 April 2014|newspaper=The Australian|date=23 October 2010}}</ref> The RAAF's other intelligence assets include [[No. 87 Squadron RAAF|No. 87 Squadron]] and the [[Lockheed AP-3C Orion|AP-3C Orion]] aircraft operated by [[No. 92 Wing RAAF|No. 92 Wing]].{{sfn|Khosa|2011|pp=31–35}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Air Warfare Centre|date=3 November 2017|url=https://www.airforce.gov.au/about-us/structure/air-command-headquarters/air-warfare-centre|publisher=Royal Australian Air Force|access-date=26 January 2018|archive-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127143208/https://www.airforce.gov.au/about-us/structure/air-command-headquarters/air-warfare-centre|url-status=live}}</ref> A [[C band (IEEE)|C band]] radar and a telescope located at [[Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt]] provide a space situational awareness capability, which includes tracking space assets and debris.{{sfn|Air Power Development Centre|2016|p=41}} Australia also provides personnel to the US [[Joint Space Operations Center]] in Colorado Springs which tracks and identifies any man-made object in orbit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/space/2015/04/14/us-certifies-canadian-jspoc-chief/25785147/|title=US Certifies Canadian JSpOC Chief|last=Mehta|first=Aaron|journal=Defense News|date=14 April 2015|access-date=15 April 2015}}</ref>

 

 

The ASD also includes the [[Australian Intelligence Community#Australian Cyber Security Centre|Australian Cyber Security Centre]] (ACSC) which is responsible for protecting Defence and other Australian Government agencies against [[cyberwarfare]] attacks. The ACSC was established in January 2010 and is jointly staffed by the ASD and personnel from the [[Attorney-General's Department (Australia)|Attorney-General's Department]], [[Australian Security Intelligence Organisation]], and [[Australian Federal Police]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Defence Signals Directorate |title=Cyber Security Operations Centre |url=http://www.dsd.gov.au/_lib/pdf_doc/csoc_brochure.pdf |publisher=Defence Signals Directorate |access-date=9 October 2010 |page=5 |date=January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219185940/http://www.dsd.gov.au/_lib/pdf_doc/csoc_brochure.pdf |archive-date=19 February 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Berkovic |first=Nicola|title=Defence on a cyber war footing|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/defence-on-a-cyber-war-footing/story-e6frg6nf-1225820171172|access-date=9 October 2010|newspaper=The Australian|date=16 January 2010}}</ref> Unlike the United States military, the ADF does not class cyberwarfare as being a separate sphere of warfare.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Walsh|first1=Dylan|title=Cyber soldiers|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/cyber-soldiers-20101008-16c7e.html|access-date=26 January 2018|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=9 October 2010|archive-date=13 October 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013074112/http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/cyber-soldiers-20101008-16c7e.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2017 an Information Warfare Division was raised, tasked with both defensive and offensive cyber operations.<ref>{{cite news|last=Austin|first=Greg|url=https://thediplomat.com/2017/07/explaining-australias-sharp-turn-to-information-warfare/|title=Explaining Australia's Sharp Turn to Information Warfare|work=The Diplomat|date=8 July 2017|access-date=9 July 2017|archive-date=9 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709205400/http://thediplomat.com/2017/07/explaining-australias-sharp-turn-to-information-warfare/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/jcg/iwd.asp|title=Information Warfare Division|work=Joint Capabilities Group|publisher=Department of Defence|access-date=9 July 2017|archive-date=22 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822100540/http://www.defence.gov.au/jcg/iwd.asp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=McGhee|first=Ashlynne|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/cyber-warfare-unit-to-be-launched-by-australian-defence-forces/8665230|title=Cyber warfare unit set to be launched by Australian Defence Forces|work=ABC News|date=30 June 2017|access-date=9 July 2017|archive-date=10 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710163827/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-30/cyber-warfare-unit-to-be-launched-by-australian-defence-forces/8665230|url-status=live}}</ref>