UNCLASSIFIED
DRAFT DEVELOPING CONCEPT
UNCLASSIFED
.
COMPLEX WARFIGHTING
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
· This document, the Future Land Operational Concept (FLOC) analyses the environment o
contemporary conflict, in order to determine how land forces (the Army and those elements of the Navy
and Air Force that support land operations) must operate in order to succeed in this environment.
· The FLOC identifies the contemporary conflict environment as complex, diverse, diffuse and highly
lethal. In this environment, land forces will be required to undertake an extremely wide range of tasks
simultaneously within the same geographical area, at short notice and in complex, urbanised terrain.
· To operate in this environment, land forces must be versatile, agile and able to orchestrate effects in a
precise and discriminating fashion. This demands modular, highly educated and skilled forces with a
capacity for network-enabled operations, optimised for close combat in combined arms teams. These
teams will be small, semi-autonomous and highly networked, incorporating traditional elements of the
combined arms team as well as non-traditional elements such as civil affairs, intelligence and
psychological warfare capabilities. They will have a capacity for protracted independent operations
within a joint interagency framework.
Future Land Warfare Branch leads the work that defines the Army of the future. It does this through the
production of concepts that underpin Army’s concept-led and capability-based approach to modernisation.
Army’s future concepts provide the start point for experimentation and force design within the framework o
the Army Continuous Modernisation Process. Future Land Warfare Branch actively encourages feedback
and comment from Army and the broader Defence Organisation.
Future Land Operating Concept Complex Warfighting
Correct as at: 7 Apr 04
Concept Author: LTCOL Dave Kilcullen
(02) 6265 5698
david.kilcullen@defence.gov.au
PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT
This document represents the Australian Army’s best estimate of the likely future
operating environment, and a possible response. The response articulated is not the
only possible response, and is not authoritative doctrine. Rather, this is a detailed
hypothesis for testing, field trials and further development. This concept is a start
oint for further analysis, experimentation and force design, leading to capabilit
development – it does not represent an endstate in itself.
