This report explores how a strategy of denial can be enhanced through expanding the ADF's ability to project power and presence. It argues that China's rapid military expansion and modernisation means that the ADF should seek to meet a threat further from Australia's shores in a crisis or war and do so in collaboration with key allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region, and with our key ally, the United States.
In terms of future capability development, the report argues that the ADF needs to enhance its capabilities in areas such as persistent sensing and targeting; survivable and sustained forward presence; responsiveness to emerging threats; and resilient command and control. These capability priorities will underpin a concept of 'forward defence in depth', that is sustained from forward locations, but also from northern Australia through resilient infrastructure and combat sustainment.
In terms of regional collaboration, the report notes that Australia can best achieve the concept of 'forward defence in depth' through enhanced burden sharing and collaboration with allies and partners, noting the importance of Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea alongside the United States.
The report makes the case that only through a more ambitious approach to 'impactful projection' through forward defence in depth, can a strategy of denial be credible, given China's rapidly expanding ability to strike at Australia from increasing range and at greater pace.
