Defence

Army

A stronger Army

The Hardened and Networked Army (HNA) initiative is Army’s response to the need to fight on a more complex and lethal battlefield. Providing increased combat weight through a redistribution of combat vehicles, the HNA and Enhanced Land Force will also generate greater organisational depth and a greater focus on combined arms battlegroups as we enter 2007 and beyond. The Chief of Army (CA) recently spoke to Alisha Welch on this important issue.

PTE Joshua Dowsing, 7RAR, updates headquarters during a visit to a village in Oruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan.
Photos provided by Public Affairs

The CA, Lieutenant General (LTGEN) Peter Leahy, said the HNA, which was approved in December 2005, had made a solid start in terms of strengthening the Army for future challenges.

“The HNA is all about ensuring the Army is survivable, durable and sustainable in order to cope with the modern, complex battlefield and increased operational tempo,” he said.

“Within the HNA is also the Enhanced Land Force, recently approved by Government, which is all about increasing the size of the Army by two infantry battalions.

“Putting this package together, we are really in the very early stages. The conceptual work is organised, the capability planning is done and we know what the milestones are.”

LTGEN Leahy said the HNA is a great thing for the Army.

“We will be established to better deal with this complex, difficult and increasingly lethal environment. It will also ensure we can work across a broader spectrum of thinking. We’ve found our tasks have increased – both the HNA and Enhanced Land Force are about ensuring that, in close combat, we can excel in combined arms teams.

“We also have to be flexible and adaptable enough to deal with natural disasters, peacekeeping and support operations, as well as quick evacuation operations, as displayed in Fiji and Lebanon last year.”

The CA said it had been a good, solid start to the HNA, though now, with the implementation phase upon the Army, it was where the hard work started.

I asked the CA what he saw as the major achievements so far.

“I look at the whole initiative as a campaign. Considering equipment, the Army will change because the equipment soldiers are using will change, and is changing already,” he said.

“Going back to the 2000 White Paper and Defence Capability Plan, we have seen the arrival of the Tiger Helicopter, the M1 Abrams Tank and the Bushmaster vehicles – the accelerated pace of these acquisitions is a major achievement.

“The ability of the Army to react to the current situation is also a major achievement. It gives me a lot of hope for the future that we will continue to be able to adapt as well as we have done in the past.”

LTGEN Leahy said the Army was also looking very closely at its doctrine and training.

“We are looking at how our soldiers work as individuals and teams on the modern battlefield. It is a different battlefield and I think Training Command has done an enormous amount of work to assess the sort of doctrine we need – it’s almost a philosophical approach. The question is how do we train our soldiers how to think, rather than what to think? We are going to find ourselves involved in operations more and more – how do we get them to adapt to these different environments?

“It’s not so much about teaching rules and procedures anymore – although they need that of course – it is now more about teaching them how to react to a situation nobody has briefed them about. Hypothetically, how do I, as a 19-year-old in downtown Dhi Qar Province in Iraq, adapt to a situation I don’t understand? For us it’s a lot harder now, young people are out there, privates, lance corporals and corporals – we’ve got to teach them to be quick, strategic thinkers and I think we are getting a long way there.”

After a long hard day two Reconstruction Task Force soldiers enjoy a short break as the sun sets in southern Afghanistan.

The CA said another important achievement was the Army Reserve.

“Currently we have more than 1000 Reservists on continuous full-time service serving on operations and in support roles here in Australia. This is a significant achievement and I congratulate the Army Reserve on how they are supporting the Regular Army at the moment. We are asking the Reserves of the future to be ready, at very short notice, to help us with the challenging tasks at hand, and that’s a very big achievement.”

When asked about the main challenges facing the Army in 2007 and beyond, LTGEN Leahy said recruiting and retention was the major issue.

“We have been asked to increase the Army by 20 per cent and we are already short on the numbers we should have. We must, and are, addressing this,” he said.

“We have to achieve the numbers demanded by the HNA, which is about 1500, and we also have to achieve the numbers of the Enhanced Land Force, which is about 2600. I think this is achievable. It’s not only recruiting that’s important to us, but retention of our highly skilled soldiers. The recently-announced retention bonuses will help us achieve our target as well.”

The CA said although he needs young soldiers, he also requires corporals, sergeants, captains and majors to remain in the Army as skilled middle management.

“In terms of recruiting private soldiers we are going great guns, we are at about 190 per cent. I need experienced and valuable managers and supervisors to remain in the Army,” he said.

“I feel that we have a good product – what our soldiers are doing, both overseas and in Australia, should make all Australians proud. Our soldiers are ambassadors for not only the Army, but the nation. I think many young Australians want to be part of an organisation that is flexible, adaptable, and can really make a difference.”

In maintaining the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as an employer of choice, retention bonuses and allowances will be used as a short-term measure until other major career and remuneration reforms are in place. These include:

• Critical Employment Category Retention Bonus
• Army Expansion Rank Retention Bonus
• Army Trade Transfer Bonus Scheme
• Navy and Army Military Instructor Allowance
• Navy Recruit Training Instructor Allowance
• Sea Going and Submarine Service Allowance Review

I asked the CA where he sees the Army in 10 years.

Chief of Army, LTGEN Peter Leahy, recently visited troops in the Middle East.

“I see it being 30,000-strong, I see it being flexible and adaptable, with improved firepower, communications, mobility and protection. I do see it hardened and much more networked and, as part of a joint ADF, I see us working increasingly with Government and non-Government organisations, working with Australian Federal Police and aid agencies to support, protect and persuade populations in their time of need.

“I see us more concerned about the weaknesses of fragile states, rather than their strengths, and I certainly see us with enhanced capabilities. We are building these capabilities now through counter-terrorism not only overseas, but in the event that something should happen in Australian territory – we are certainly prepared for that.

“As Chief of Army, I am responsible through the Chief of the Defence Force to raise, train and sustain the Army so that it is capable of defending Australia and our national interests – the HNA will assist in achieving this goal.”

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