May 6, 2025, 3:03 am
As the Australian Defence Force enters the second quarter of the twenty-first century, the profession of arms is at a crossroads between revival or decline. This has occurred because of the culmination of weak intellectual and philosophical foundations in the nation’s military profession.
The bureaucratic officer corps is confronted by a lack of warfighting expertise, and low defence spending, alongside an array of occupational pressures from outsourcing and contracting. A crisis in recruitment and retention is emblematic of the military’s declining appeal.
In a deteriorating global strategic environment, weak military professional foundations represent a constraint on the Australian Defence Force’s ability to engage in high-intensity conventional warfare.
Content Creator – Australian Institute of International Affairs
