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key lessons from the 1982 falkland islands campaign
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Although the Falklands War ended over 27 years ago, the important lessons that
it provided for an island nation then are just as relevant today. Lessons such as
the importance of a maritime fixed-wing air capability that is not limited to landbased
aircraft, the need to be able to conduct amphibious operations and establish
and maintain sea control at a great distance from home base. More importantly it
demonstrated the need for land, air and maritime forces to operate as a joint force. It
is this last point that the ADF will need to further embrace if it is to fully exploit the
considerable joint capability enhancements that will be delivered over the next two
decades under the 2009 Defence White Paper. The next step forward for the ADF is
to build upon the joint maritime strategic culture that has already begun within the
single Services and grow the joint organisation to the point that it is able to coordinate,
train, sustain and certify the joint maritime force.
Finally, for Australia the 1982 Falklands War should be a noteworthy reminder that
regardless of strategic forecasts, an island nation needs a joint maritime strategy at its
strategic centre. Why? Because what may appear to be a situation that can be solved
diplomatically on one day, could on the next day be a war of necessity.
Notes
1
JA Robertson, ‘The Falklands War - Seapower in Action’, Journal of the Australian Naval
Institute, vol. 9, no. 1 February 1983, p. 25.
2
Duncan Anderson, Essential Histories - The Falklands War 1982, Osprey, Great Britain, 2002,
p. 11.
3
Ian Speller, ‘Operation Corporate: The Falklands conflict 1982’ in Peter Dennis and Grey
Jeffrey, (eds), Battles Near and Far - A Century of Overseas Deployment, Army History Unit,
Canberra, 2005, pp. 175-6.
4
Paul Eddy, Magnus Linkalater with Peter Gilliam Peter, The Falklands War-The Full Story,
André Deutsch Limited, London, 1982, p. 72.
5
EF Gueritz, ‘The Falklands: Joint Warfare Justified’, The RUSI Journal, vol. 127, no. 3, September
1982, p. 52.
6
Hugh White, ‘Four Decades of the Defence of Australia: Reflections on Australian Defence
Policy Over the Past 40 Years’, in Ron Huisken and Meredith Thatcher (eds), History as Policy
Framing the Debate on the Future of Australia’s Defence Policy, ANU E Press, Canberra, 2007,
p. 168.
7
Definition of Expeditionary Operations: ‘Operations that require the employment of defence
and strategic assets to project, sustain and support a force away from its home base for the