This term covers the non-operational administrative responsibility, such as personnel management, including individual training.

an ornamental tagged cord or braid, typically gold in colour, worn on a uniform around the shoulder and armpit, with a cord extension attached to a middle button of a shirt or jacket.

According to Defence of Australia 1987, Australia’s area of direct military interest included Australia, its territories and proximate ocean areas, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and other nearby countries in the Southwest Pacific. It stretches over 7000 kilometres from the Cocos Islands to New Zealand and the islands of the Southwest Pacific and 5000 kilometres south to ‘the Southern Ocean’.

Official language of the Republic of Indonesia.

Combination of force structure and its preparedness that encompasses equipment, trained personnel to operate the equipment, and the total support required to operate both efficiently and effectively.

The succession of commanding officers from a superior to a subordinate through which command is exercised. Also called ‘command channel’. (DOD, NATO)

Between two or more forces or agencies of two or more allies. (DOD)

The exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commander over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission. Command and control functions are performed through an arrangement of personnel, equipment, communications, facilities, and procedures employed by a commander in planning, directing, coordinating, and controlling forces and operations in the accomplishment of the mission. Also called C2. (DOD)

Integrated systems of doctrine, procedures, organisational structures, personnel, equipment, facilities, and communications designed to support a commander’s exercise of command and control across the range of military operations. Also called C4 systems. (DOD)

The interrelated responsibilities between commanders, as well as the operational authority exercised by commanders in the chain of command; defined further as combatant command (command authority), operational control, tactical control, or support. See also chain of command. (DOD)

A verbal or graphic statement, in broad outline, of an intelligence directorate’s assumptions or intent in regard to intelligence support of an operation or series of operations. The concept of intelligence operations, which complements the commander’s concept of operations, is contained in the intelligence annex of operation plans. The concept of intelligence operations is designed to give an overall picture of intelligence support for joint operations. It is included primarily for additional clarity of purpose. See also concept of operations. (DOD)

A verbal or graphic statement, in broad outline, of a commander’s assumptions or intent in regard to an operation or series of operations. The concept of operations frequently is embodied in campaign plans and operation plans; in the latter case, particularly when the plans cover a series of connected operations to be carried out simultaneously or in succession. The concept is designed to give an overall picture of the operation. It is included primarily for additional clarity of purpose. Also called commander’s concept or CONOPS. (DOD)

1. In naval usage, the change from a cruising approach or contact disposition to a disposition for battle. 2. The movement of forces within areas of operations. 3. The positioning of forces into a formation for battle. 4. The relocation of forces to desired areas of operations. (NATO)

A set of principles describing how the Australian Defence Force will support the attainment of national objectives.

A single location in which are centralised communications facilities and personnel incident to the coordination of all forms of fire support. Also called FSCC. (DOD)

An aggregation of military personnel, weapon systems, equipment, and necessary support, or combination thereof. (DOD)

Numbers used in conjunction with urgency of need designators to establish a matrix of priorities used for supply requisitions. Defines the relative importance of the unit to accomplish the objectives of the Department of Defence. Also called FADs. (DOD)

The ability to project the military element of national power from the continental United States (CONUS) or another theatre, in response to requirements for military operations. Force projection operations extend from mobilisation and deployment of forces to redeployment to CONUS or home theatre. (DOD)

Activities such as gathering, evaluating and communicating intelligence and employing counter-intelligence and protective agents and groups, such as Special Forces, to protect individuals, groups and force elements from hostile interference, including protection from the vicissitudes of operational environments, such as disease and harsh climates, through preventive health measures, clothing and equipment and conducive living conditions. (New definition)

The science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of deployed forces through a supply chain. In its most comprehensive sense, those aspects of military operations that deal with: (a) design and development, acquisition, storage, movement, distribution, maintenance, evacuation, and disposition of matériel; (b) movement, evacuation, and hospitalisation of personnel; (c) acquisition or construction, maintenance, operation, and disposition of facilities; and (d) acquisition or furnishing of essential services. Also logistics. (DOD)

Seizing and holding of a military lodgement in the face of armed opposition. (DOD)

In special operations, a base usually located in friendly territory or afloat that is established to extend command and control or communications or to provide support for training and tactical operations. Facilities may be established for temporary or longer duration operations and may include an airfield or an unimproved airstrip, an anchorage, or a pier. A forward operations base may be the location of a special operations component headquarters or a smaller unit that is controlled and/or supported by a main operations base. Also called FOB. See also advanced operations base; main operations base. (DOD)

Connotes activities, operations, organisations and arrangements, in which elements of two or more services participate. (adapted from DOD)

The ability to project military force by or from individuals and groups operating on land either on foot or from land, sea or aerial platforms, normally accompanied by application of direct and indirect fire support. (Air Marshal M.J. Armitage and Air Commodore R.A. Mason, Air Power in the Nuclear Age, 1945–85: Theory and Practice, Urbana, New York, 1985)

The ability to combine maritime, land and air power to project military force simultaneously on or below water, on land and in the air in a prescribed area. (Air Marshal M.J. Armitage and Air Commodore R.A. Mason, Air Power in the Nuclear Age, 1945–85: Theory and Practice, Urbana, New York, 1985)

The ability to project military force by or from a platform on or below water, normally the sea. air power: The ability to project military force by or from a platform in the third dimension above the surface of the earth. (Air Marshal M.J. Armitage and Air Commodore R.A. Mason, Air Power in the Nuclear Age, 1945–85: Theory and Practice, Urbana, New York, 1985)

The ability to achieve specified strategic effects. It includes four major components: force structure: numbers, size, and composition of the force elements that comprise the Australian Defence Force; e.g., divisions, ships, air squadrons; modernisation: technical sophistication of forces, units, weapon systems, and equipments; readiness: the ability to provide capabilities required by the commanders to execute their assigned missions. This is derived from the ability of each unit to deliver the outputs for which it was designed; and sustainability: the ability to maintain the necessary level and duration of operational activity to accomplish missions. Sustainability is a function of providing for and maintaining those levels of ready forces, matériel, facilities and consumables necessary to support military effort. (DOD)

1. A military action or the carrying out of a strategic, operational, tactical, service, training, or administrative military mission. 2. The process of carrying on combat, including movement, supply, attack, defence, and manoeuvres needed to gain the objectives of any battle or campaign. (DOD)

A directive issued by a commander to subordinate commanders for the purpose of effecting the coordinated execution of an operation. Also called OPORD. (DOD)

The employment of military forces to attain strategic and/or operational objectives through the design, organisation, integration, and conduct of strategies, campaigns, major operations, and battles. Operational art translates the joint force commander’s strategy into operational design and, ultimately, tactical action, by integrating the key activities at all levels of war.

The level of war at which campaigns and major operations are planned, conducted, and sustained to accomplish strategic objectives within theatres or other operational areas. Activities at this level link tactics and strategy by establishing operational objectives needed to accomplish the strategic objectives, sequencing events to achieve the operational objectives, initiating actions, and applying resources to bring about and sustain these events. These activities imply a broader dimension of time or space than do tactics; they ensure the logistic and administrative support of tactical forces, and provide the means by which tactical successes are exploited to achieve strategic objectives. See also strategic level of war; tactical level of war. (DOD)

A unit, ship, or weapon system capable of performing the missions or functions for which it is organised or designed. Incorporates both equipment readiness and personnel readiness; that is, personnel available and qualified to perform assigned missions or functions. See also readiness. (DOD)

Combination of capability and intent.

To place force elements, equipment, or supplies at or near the point of planned use or at a designated location to reduce reaction time, and to ensure timely support of specific force elements during initial phases of an operation. (DOD, NATO)

A mission undertaken to obtain, by visual observation or other detection methods, information about the activities and resources of hostile forces and groups and influential stakeholders, or to secure data concerning the meteorological, hydrographical, or geographic characteristics of a particular area. (DOD, NATO)

The relocation of forces to advantageous areas of operations and locations and return of forces to the homeland.

Directives issued by competent military authority which specify the circumstances and limitations under which Australian forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagements with other forces encountered. (Australian Defence Force Publication 101, Glossary, 1994)

The level of war at which a nation, often as a member of a group of nations, determines national or multinational (alliance or coalition) security objectives and guidance, and develops and uses national resources to accomplish these objectives. Activities at this level establish national and multinational military objectives; sequence initiatives; define limits and assess risks for the use of military and other instruments of national power; develop global plans or theatre war plans to achieve these objectives; and provide military forces and other capabilities in accordance with strategic plans. See also operational level of war; tactical level of war. (DOD)

The level of war at which battles and engagements are planned and executed to accomplish military objectives assigned to tactical units or task forces. Activities at this level focus on the ordered arrangement and manoeuvre of combat elements in relation to each other and to the enemy to achieve combat objectives. See also operational level of war; strategic level of war.

The second highest level in a task organisation, a task group is a grouping of units under one commander subordinate to task force commander, formed for the purpose of carrying out specific functions. (DOD)

It also covers specialised and professional authority for the proper management of assets including technical standards and regulations for maintenance, repair and use of vehicles, weapons, equipment and other matériel.

Activities related to receiving, unloading, storing, preparing and then loading and dispatching matériel to an area of operations. These activities can involve sea, land and air transport.

A designated geographic area for which an operational level joint or combined commander is appointed and in which a campaign or series of major operations is conducted. A theatre may contain one or more joint areas of operation.