Ibid - Australian Army

61
Study Paper No. 301
decision-making. 252 There are several continuities with the MLW
series in doctrine for operational-level warfare and directive
control. In particular, the doctrinal principle of austerity, first
advanced in the 1977 edition of MLW One 1.1, but not mentioned
in the 1992 version, is reintroduced in LWD 1, 1999. Acceptance of
austere conditions and scarce forces across the conflict spectrum is
again specifically and repeatedly expressed in LWD 1, 1999 as a
critical factor in assisting the Army to develop innovative doctrine
and to develop adaptable force elements. 253
The 1999 Fundamentals’ linkage of doctrine, concepts and
capabilities is intimately related to the way land forces will confront
the challenges of a new strategic environment. The Army’s vision
of the future strategic environment embraces a spectrum of conflict
from peace to total war. Future conflict is seen as being conditioned
by new international factors, including globalisation and ethnic
strife on the one hand and by the Revolution in Military Affairs on
the other. 254 The spectrum of conflict embraces both symmetric
(force-on-force operations) and asymmetric (unconventional or
disproportionate operations) conflict. 255 Land forces have two
major roles: warfighting (a focus on defeating an adversary) and
military support operations (a focus on overcoming a problematic
environment). 256 In both roles, the importance of manoeuvre at the
strategic, operational and tactical levels of war is seen as critical to
success. 257
The most revolutionary feature of the Army’s new doctrine is,
however, the institutional embrace of a maritime strategy for the
land force. LWD 1, 1999 defines a maritime concept of strategy as
‘a military strategic preference to achieve decisions in the maritime
252
253
254
255
256
257
Ibid., pp.1-6 – 1-7.
Ibid., pp. 3-5; 3-13; 3-21.
Ibid., pp. 4-2 – 4-4.
Ibid., pp. 2-7 – 2-9.
Ibid., pp. 2-10 – 2-11.
Ibid., pp. 2-13 – 2-15.