In 1965, tens of thousands of US troops are heading for war in Vietnam. Backed up by B-52 bombers, helicopters and napalm, many expect the Viet Cong guerillas to crumble in the face of unstoppable US firepower. Instead, in the jungles and swamps of Vietnam, the Americans discover combat is an exhausting slog in which casualties are high and they rarely get to fire first.
Australia possesses the capability, ingenuity, and expertise to manufacture defence equipment, including a domestically produced service rifle, asserts local firearms designer Ron Owen. Based in Gympie and holding a firearms dealer license, Owen is credited with designing the Genesis One straight-pull rifle, purportedly the first rifle designed and manufactured in Queensland in the past 25 years.
The rifle, available in .223, 6.5mm, or .308 chamberings, was developed and produced by Enfield Arms in Queensland in 2023, targeting the recreational hunting and target shooting market. Owen advocates for Australia’s potential to support the domestic production of service rifles and other defence equipment as a strategic imperative.
“We possess the necessary capability, and we always have,” Owen stated. “We have the determination, creativity, and expertise to create anything. The output during World War II demonstrates our potential. However, bureaucratic restrictions hinder our progress.”
“Australia could swiftly manufacture its own firearms within six months if it chose to,” Owen continued. “We could emulate Switzerland, well-equipped and formidable, deterring any potential adversaries. Yet, the decision rests with political entities.”
Owen highlighted Australia’s history of successful domestic military equipment innovation, citing the renowned 9mm Owen submachine gun, designed by Evelyn Owen of Wollongong in 1938. Despite initial rejection by the Australian Army, the design was later adopted and produced in significant quantities for use in conflicts such as Korea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Despite past inquiries from the Department of Defence and the Australian Army regarding the creation of a domestic anti-material rifle, progress has been impeded. Owen recounted an instance where a contract for such a rifle was cancelled by the Ministry of Defence in 2023, despite prior interest and visits from defence experts.
Numerous companies, including Oceania Precision, Wedgetail Industries, Eureka Gun Company, Southern Cross Small Arms, and Warwick Firearms Australia, are striving to gain a larger share of Australia’s firearms market, typically dominated by established American and other international brands.
In a bid to advance domestic development efforts, Owen has announced the Straight Pull Challenge 2024, inviting manufacturers to compete in showcasing the nations best domestically produced straight-pull rifle. The competition involves a four-round shooting contest against targets at various distances, aiming to promote the adoption of Australian-made firearms in competitive shooting.
“Never before has Australia seen such a variety of locally manufactured firearm options, particularly in the straight-pull, pump, and lever-release styles,” Owen remarked. “However, these rifles have yet to gain traction in Australian competitive shooting. This event aims to showcase the products of all Australian firearm manufacturers and integrate them into the future of Australian competition shooting.”
Photo: Officer school training is being trialled as just a year-long course. (Jarrod Moreels/Defence)
It’s a shift towards efficiency over extended duration, aptly termed as ‘working smarter, not longer’.
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is embarking on a trial program to condense officer training from 18 months to just 12 months, aiming to accelerate and intensify cadet preparation.
Since July 2023, the Royal Military College-Australia and Combined Arms Training Centre have merged into the Land Combat College (LCC), headquartered in Canberra and Puckapunyal, streamlining operations to serve as the singular training authority for foundational training and combat capabilities for land specialists.
This new approach, implemented at the start of the year and trialled from January 2024 to December 2025, represents a significant step forward in the army’s pursuit of a unified, adaptable force.
Brigadier Jason Groat, Commandant of the Land Combat College, emphasized the continuous evaluation of trainees throughout the program, with adjustments made as necessary.
The trial Officer Commissioning Program comprises six modules focusing on leadership, command, foundation warfighting, and military planning, aiming to cultivate essential skills uniformly across all officers.
The primary goal of this accelerated training initiative is to expedite the readiness of Service Category 7 generalist officers, setting a precedent for enhancing training across other categories.
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Hickey, Commanding Officer of RMC-D, stressed the retention of core performance elements and critical skills in the revamped training approach, incorporating technological advancements and innovative instructional methods to eliminate redundancy and maximize efficiency.
In essence, this streamlined training regimen aims to sharpen focus and effectiveness, ensuring optimal readiness with fewer resources.
Australian and Filipino armed forces, backed by US Marines, have practiced retaking an island seized by hostile forces in a large military drill on the north-western Philippine coast facing the disputed South China Sea.
Sometimes, the more you try to help someone, the worse it gets.
Upon arriving home, a husband was met at the door by his sobbing wife.
Tearfully she explained, “It’s the druggist. He insulted me terribly this morning on the phone. I had to call multiple times before he would even answer the phone.”
Immediately, the husband drove downtown to confront the druggist and demand an apology.
Before he could say more than a word or two, the druggist told him, Now, just a minute, listen to my side of it.
This morning the alarm failed to go off, so I was late getting up. I went without breakfast and hurried out to the car, just to realise that I’d locked the house with both house and car keys inside and had to break a window to get my keys.
Then, driving a little too fast, I got a speeding ticket.
Later, when I was about three blocks from the store, I had a flat tire.
When I finally got to the store a bunch of people were waiting for me to open up.
I got the store opened and started waiting on these people, all the time the darn phone was ringing off the hook.
He continued, “Then I had to break a roll of nickels against the cash register drawer to make change, and they spilled all over the floor.
I had to get down on my hands and knees to pick up the nickels and the phone was still ringing.
When I came up, I cracked my head on the open cash drawer, which made me stagger back against a showcase with a bunch of perfume bottles on it.
Half of them hit the floor and broke.
Meanwhile, the phone is still ringing with no let up, and I finally got back to answer it. It was your wife. She wanted to know how to use a rectal thermometer.
And believe me mister, as God is my witness, all I did was tell her.”
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has allocated an extra $399 million to advance the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program, securing hundreds of Australian defence jobs. This funding confirms progress to the next phase, including the delivery of three upgraded Block 2 aircraft with enhanced features.
The investment will prioritize the development of sensor technology, mission capabilities, and autonomous systems. Minister Conroy applauded the announcement, highlighting the significant contribution of over 200 Australian companies, including 50 SMEs, to the program. He emphasized the importance of government support in maintaining Australia’s leadership in defence technology and job creation.
This funding secures over 350 jobs nationwide and sustains the work of more than 200 suppliers involved in the MQ-28A Ghost Bat project. Minister Conroy reiterated the government’s commitment to national prosperity and security through equipping the Air Force with essential capabilities.
The decision to further develop the MQ-28A Ghost Bat follows a recommendation from the Defence Strategic Review to explore collaboration with the United States. Defence has entered into a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) development project arrangement with the US, aligning with the government’s response.
Scott Carpendale, Vice President and Managing Director of Boeing Defence Australia, praised the government’s support for the program, emphasizing the partnership’s significance in enhancing Australia’s combat aircraft capabilities.
Over 70% of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program is directed towards Australian industry content, providing substantial benefits to local companies and their skilled workforce. The agreement allows for the continued development and validation of MQ-28 systems, including the production of three Block 2 aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force.
Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat, a Collaborative Combat Aircraft, is a joint effort with Boeing Defence Australia and marks Australia’s first military combat aircraft designed, engineered, and manufactured in over 50 years. Originally announced in 2019, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat is designed to offer fighter-like performance and a range of over 2,000 nautical miles, supporting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions, and electronic warfare capabilities.
ED: From my inbox … Thanks Brian Hurlock
Regardless of what one’s opinion is of Donald Trump, and if you are not completely turned off by the formal wording of this USA Republican Party Resolution on the future policies in relation to the ongoing, essential use of fossil fuels for power generation, then I recommend a thorough reading of the attached Resolution.
For in the wording you will get an idea of the type of LEADERSHIP the whole of Western Civilisation needs URGENTLY, if we are to stop the momentum of, and then begin reversing, the headlong rush to economic suicide on which we’ve been embarked for the past 30 or so years – due directly to the most massive, most costly, most environmentally destructive FRAUD in the whole history of Mankind i.e. the sheer insanity and False Alarmism of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Climate Change Theory.
Unless the non-socialist/communist side of politics in Australia i.e. those which are NOT on the side of Comrade Albosleazy’s coalition of ALP/Greens/Tea(ladies), adopt the USA Republican Party’s ALL OUT attack on current trends, they have little hope of coalescing the split/shattered/disillusioned/hurting grassroots voters of Australia in sufficient numbers to win back government at the next Federal Elections!
Do they have the personnel with the required COMMON SENSE, vision, political instincts, backbone & cajónes to do it? Sadly, I doubt it! But the ball is there for them to pick up and run with it if sufficient new, younger tyros in the Parties are prepared to change course, to head back to calmer, safer waters!
The future of Western Civilisation depends on it!
TRANSFORMATIVE-ENERGY-FREEDOM-POLICY-FOR-AMERICA.pdf (gop.com)
Hooroo 4 now, Brian H.
Hear from Chief of Army LTGEN Simon Stuart as he shares his start of year message.
Lieutenant General Stuart assumed command of the Australian Army on 02 July 2022.
Official Portrait of LTGEN Simon Stuart, AO, DSC.
Enlisting as a soldier in 1987, Lieutenant General Stuart was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1990. He has over thirty five years’ experience across a range of leadership, operations, training and program management appointments in Australia and overseas.
Lieutenant General Stuart’s regimental experience was in the 2nd/4th and 2nd Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment, culminating in command of the 8th/9th Battalion from 2008-10.
He has commanded on operations on five occasions at the company, Joint Task Force, brigade and force levels in East Timor, Afghanistan and Egypt/Israel respectively. His early career included significant training experience, while his staff appointments have largely been in capability development. He has worked in joint, whole of government, international and multi-national environments for most of the past 20 years. Most recently, Lieutenant General Stuart has fulfilled the role of Head of Land Capability in Army Headquarters after a three year deployment in command of the Multinational Force & Observers from 2017-19.
Lieutenant General Stuart is a graduate of the Royal Military College – Duntroon (1990), the United Kingdom’s Joint Services Command and Staff College (2003), the United States Army War College (2015) and the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program (2022). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of New England and Masters’ degrees in Project Management (UNSW), Arts – Defence Studies (Kings College, London) and Strategy (US Army War College).
Lieutenant General Stuart’s honours and awards include his appointment as Member of the Order of Australia (2011), the Distinguished Service Cross (2014) and advancement to Officer of the Order of Australia (2020). He has also received a number of foreign awards, including those from the United States, Timor Leste, Columbia, Uruguay, Czech Republic, Japan and Indonesia.
Lieutenant General Stuart and his wife Katy are from Perth, Western Australia. They have two teenage children and a labrador retriever. He is also the patron for the Army Drone Racing Team and a patron for the Army Australian Football League.
Recently, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aviators collaborated with their counterparts from the United States and the United Kingdom in a groundbreaking exercise, deploying six F-35A Lightning II aircraft to support the mission for the first time. Accompanied by an air battle management team, this deployment marked a significant milestone in maximizing the capabilities of the F-35.
Wing Commander Adrian Kiely, Commanding Officer of No. 3 Squadron, emphasized the importance of exercises like Red Flag Nellis in realizing the full potential of the F-35 joint strike fighter. He highlighted that while the F-35A stands as the world’s most advanced operational strike fighter, its true capabilities shine when integrated into a comprehensive network of systems, as demonstrated during the exercise.
“The scenarios in this exercise demand coordination to navigate through sophisticated air defence networks or achieve precise integration across multiple domains to reach distant targets, all while facing live and simulated threats,” remarked WGCDR Kiely. “Red Flag Nellis provided a rigorous environment for participating nations, testing interoperability and enhancing our understanding of each other’s strengths in combat situations.”
Wing Commander Peter Mole, Commanding Officer of No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the unique opportunity presented by Red Flag Nellis for Australian aviators to engage in complex joint air missions alongside the US and UK forces.
“Participating in an exercise of this calibre is a rare opportunity for us to collaborate with the United States and the United Kingdom,” noted WGCDR Mole. “The meticulous recording and immediate debriefing of each mission offer valuable insights into the overall mission dynamics and the effectiveness of our decision-making processes.”
As the exercise concluded, WGCDR Mole expressed confidence in the Australian team’s ability to contribute effectively to modern air campaigns and seamlessly integrate with allied nations in future operations.
In summary, Red Flag Nellis served as a platform for enhancing the interoperability and combat readiness of participating nations while unlocking the full potential of the F-35 joint strike fighter in a realistic operational environment.