Australian Indirect Firepower Capability

The present indirect firepower capability is influenced by its history and is still predominately industrial in nature. The adoption of an Army After Next concept will force the Australian Defense Force (ADF) to change from an equipment based defense force, to a capability based defense force. With the present indirect firepower capability still industrial in nature, emphasizing mass with dated effects management procedures and delivery systems, this will present particular challenges to the present capability in being able to transition to support the Army After Next (AAN) in the year 2020-2030. This thesis describes the fundamental process that the Royal Australian Artillery must understand before the present capability can move forward. The concept of a 'systems of systems' is used to describe the components. This thesis discusses that the present force development process, based upon equipment replacement and not capability enhancement, combined with a cultural bias towards the delivery system, has prevented the present indirect firepower capability from developing. This thesis concludes that the ADF must develop a strategy linking the future indirect firepower capability to strategic guidance, national military strategies and future land warfare tasks, taking into account the indirect firepower capability as a system of systems.