What does everyone know/think about the Australian Military? I know we're small, but personally i don't think we're all that bad. We're definately more equipped for ground operations and national defence, but i don't think we'll be attacking anyone any time soon due to our relatively light air force capability. Navy is in the middle somewhere.

Our ground troops are awesome though, just thoroughly tough stuff. I used to kickbox with an ex-army Physical Training Instructor and he was amazing - pretty much a killing machine.

Rich

Speaking for myself, the Australian Military's rep is impressive to say the least

Anyone with any sense of history would note right away that the soldiering done in South Africa and at Gallipoli, Romani, Pozieres, Vimy Ridge, Ypres, Bardia, Tobruk, Crete, El Alamein, Kokoda, Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Borneo, New Britain, Malaya, Korea and Vietnam were not accidents.

The initials ANZAC, AIF and RAR mean a lot and while not everyone knows who the Diggers are/were, I do and I am damn glad you're on our side.

It isn't the best in the world however it will do. It has alot of nice weapons in it however Australia should worry more about thier navy and airforce than groundforces.

Originally Posted by ozmilman

What does everyone know/think about the Australian Military? I know we're small, but personally i don't think we're all that bad. We're definately more equipped for ground operations and national defence, but i don't think we'll be attacking anyone any time soon due to our relatively light air force capability. Navy is in the middle somewhere.

Our ground troops are awesome though, just thoroughly tough stuff. I used to kickbox with an ex-army Physical Training Instructor and he was amazing - pretty much a killing machine.

Rich

Dear Rich,

I can only go on what I have read. A book is out now called NOT A GOOD DAY TO DIE which is about Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan in 1982. The author talked to a lot of the US Special Ops in Afghanistan and all of them were VERY impressed with Task Force 64 which was the Australian SAS unit that Australia sent to Afghanistan. They were awed at their ability to cover terrain that most would seem impossible and one US general stated they brought special landrovers that could cover terrain beyond belief and were almost indestructable to terrain damange.

But on the minus side I think the RAAF is making a big mistake retiring the F-111 early and thinking the short range AF-18s with air to air refueling can fill the gap. But I understand their reason. Australia is taking on a lot of new military equipment and the budget is probably stretched to the breaking point with Australia supporting the US in Afghanistan and Iraq. Personally, I think the US would have been better to have said "Look we appreciate the offer, but a big help would be if you concentrated on Afghanistan."

Jack E. Hammond

i'm guessing it's this one;



These Land Rovers are used by the SAS for long distance patrol work.They are powered by the 3.9 litre turbo Isuzu motor.They carry a crew of three and are equiped with a rear mounted machine gun .

Being in the ADF, and probably very biased I think we do pretty good with what we have.
Yes the F111s are being retired down the track but the capeability of the F18s and the new weapon systems being fitted will help cover the shortfall.
The joint stike fighter once it is sorted out in the future will be a great asset o the RAAF.
Our RAAF maritime is excellent and our air lift capeability may apear small when compared to the USA or the Brits but they often out perform these same allies in theatre.
The Navy is aquiring new AA ships and they have modernised the patrol boat fleet.
Army is converting to mobilised reg's and are gaining Abrams tanks to replace the old leopards.
Yep, were small, but we have a very experienced and profesional bunch of people wearing the uniforms doing the job.
Cheers.

Originally Posted by Warwick

Being in the ADF, and probably very biased I think we do pretty good with what we have.
Yes the F111s are being retired down the track but the capeability of the F18s and the new weapon systems being fitted will help cover the shortfall.
The joint stike fighter once it is sorted out in the future will be a great asset o the RAAF.
Our RAAF maritime is excellent and our air lift capeability may apear small when compared to the USA or the Brits but they often out perform these same allies in theatre.
The Navy is aquiring new AA ships and they have modernised the patrol boat fleet.
Army is converting to mobilised reg's and are gaining Abrams tanks to replace the old leopards.
Yep, were small, but we have a very experienced and profesional bunch of people wearing the uniforms doing the job.
Cheers.

Dear Member,

The most potent weapon system that Australia has is the COLLINS submarines. A country that has a navy that has modern submarines (ie and knows how to operate and use them -- ie as the Arabs say "To have a sword and knowing how to use it are not the same.") has a great deterance force and option. Remembe during WW2 if the Allied submarines had been better trained and ready the Japanese might not even have taken Java.

Finally, do you know if they have straighten the problems out with intergating its fire control and weapons systems?

Jack E. Hammond

Australia has a good policy of Quality not Quantity, unlike our northern neighbour Indonesia. For a country of 20 million people were doing alright. We could be far more worse.
Our Defence Forces have a great rep, the Garrison troops for the old Colonies however are a different story (Vinegar Hill, Rum Rebbelion, Koori Massacers)
I'm gonna be proud to serve when I finally enlist.

Originally Posted by Bory

Australia has a good policy of Quality not Quantity, unlike our northern neighbour Indonesia. For a country of 20 million people were doing alright. We could be far more worse.
Our Defence Forces have a great rep, the Garrison troops for the old Colonies however are a different story (Vinegar Hill, Rum Rebbelion, Koori Massacers)
I'm gonna be proud to serve when I finally enlist.

Dear Member,

It is true that the Australia Army has a good reputation. Its taking of massive causalties in WW1 is proof of that. About the only blot I can think of on its almost perfect reputation was that General in Singapore who decided to do a MacArthur, but without orders to do. I was surprised he got off so lightly.

Jack E. Hammond

Yeah, the huge amounts of hand-me-downs from America are going to really bolster our forces. I knew about the Abraams coming over here but i didn't think they were going to retire the Leopard's, i thought they were going to be kept as the light tank that they are and the Abraams were going to be used as they are supposed to be - assault vehicles. It would be a damn shame if the leopards were retired.

Rich.