Experiments headlined

Map reference: Maj Mike Johannes, Capt Victoria Wayland and Maj Frank Brindle view an electronic map during the Headline 05 Experiment at the Land Warfare Development Centre. Photo by Sgt Dave Grant

By Capt Victoria Wayland

THE seventh in a series of annual major experiments, Headline 05, has helped refine the Australian Army Experimental Force 2025 (EXFOR) concept.

The experiment took place late last year with a view to developing and validating the Army’s EXFOR model over the next five years.

Military personnel of Land Warfare Development Centre and analysts from the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) conducted Headline 05 at the Army’s Experimentation and War fighting Facility in Puckapunyal.

CO Experimental Management Lt-Col John Simeoni said that the combined effort between the Army and DSTO had been successful.

“The outcomes from the conduct of military experimentation enable senior decision makers to make informed decisions regarding future capability,” he said.

“DSTO brings to this experimentation a sound scientific process and analysis, which is tempered with the expertise of our military personnel.”

During the two-week trial, syndicate groups of personnel from Australian Command and Staff College, Navy, Air Force and Land Command with additional representation from Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the US, developed and presented recommended changes required to advance our future capabilities.

CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy highlighted the importance of the experimental series by inviting his contemporaries from around the world to visit Puckapunyal during Headline 05.

The invitation attracted officers from Pakistan, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, PNG, New Zealand, Britain, the US and China.

Chief among the aims of the Headline series of experiments is the validation of the Objective Force 2025 (OF2025) model developed during earlier experiments.

CA’s Development Intent says, among other things, that OF2025 is to be optimised for close combat in complex, predominantly urbanised terrain, as part of a joint inter-agency task force.

OF2025 is to be capable of being adapted to other tasks, up to and including medium-intensity war fighting in a coalition setting, and down to peace support operations and peacetime national tasks.

As a result the Headline 05 simulations have been developed to electronically allow the military to war game in these settings.

“The strong partnership between DSTO and Army in experimentation has resulted in the Australian Experimental Facility delivering results that are highly regarded throughout the ADF and has resulted in the Australian Experimental Facility playing a key role in Army’s Modernisation Process,” Lt-Col Simeoni said.