Locked Bag 18, Royal United Services Institute Darlinghurst NSW 2010 New South Wales Level 20, 270 Pit Street1 SYDNEY NSW 2000 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Newsletter Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Issue No. 11 - June 2015 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 Introduction Welcome to this month’s issue of the electronic newsletter of the Royal United Services Institute of NSW (RUSI NSW), the aim of which is to provide members, stakeholders, and other interested parties up to date news of our latest activities and events as well as selective information on defence issues. There is no charge to receive this newsletter electronically and recipients are not required to be a member of the RUSI of NSW. Invite your colleagues to receive this newsletter by going to the newsletter page on the RUSI NSW website http://www.rusinsw.org.au/Newsletter where they can register their email contact details. Latest News and Events Minister for Defence concludes the 14th Shangri-La Dialogue At the conclusion of the 14th annual Shangri-La Dialogue conducted in Singapore by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) over 29 -31 May, the Minister for Defence issued a statement which included the following comments. “Over the past few days I have met with many colleagues to share perspectives on the regional implications of global security issues, including terrorism in the Middle East, Admiral Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of China's People's Liberation Army maritime security and building regional cooperation. In Image source: Xinhua, english.news.cn my address to the final plenary session of the Dialogue, Global Security Challenges and the Asia-Pacific: Building Cooperation between Regions, I highlighted the Indo-Pacific’s economic interdependence and the role of secure sea lines in building our region’s prosperity. This shared interest in economic prosperity and trade routes is already enhancing cooperation on security challenges that affect all of us, such as natural disasters, maritime piracy, and terrorism. “I also participated in the fifth Australia-Japan- United States Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting, which was attended by the United States Secretary of Defense, Dr Ashton B. Carter, and Japan’s Minister for Defense, Mr Gen Nakatani. We discussed enhancements to trilateral defence cooperation between Australia, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong delivering the Japan and the United States on regional security keynote address Image source: Youtube challenges, including maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 1 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 2 Public Release of China’s Military Strategy The USNI News Weekly Update for 27th May 2015 included reference to the release by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on 26 May of the first public Chinese Military Strategy White Paper which outlines a new policy of “active defense”. The contents of the paper include a preface and sections on 1. National Security Situation, 2. Missions and Strategic Tasks of China’s Armed Forces, 3. Strategic Guideline of Active Defense, 4. Building and Development of China’s Armed Forces, 5. Preparation for Military Struggle, and 6. Military and Security Cooperation. The Preface is completed below and the rest of the content can be accessed via USNI http://news.usni.org/2015/05/26/document-chinas-military-strategy#more- 13009 Preface: The world today is undergoing unprecedented changes, and China is at a critical stage of reform and development. In their endeavor to realize the Chinese Dream of great national rejuvenation, the Chinese people aspire to join hands with the rest of the world to maintain peace, pursue development and share prosperity. China’s destiny is vitally interrelated with that of the world as a whole. A prosperous and stable world would provide China with opportunities, while China’s peaceful development also offers an opportunity for the whole world. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, oppose hegemonism and power politics in all forms, and will never seek hegemony or expansion. China’s armed forces will remain a staunch force in maintaining world peace. Building a strong national defense and powerful armed forces is a strategic task of China’s modernization drive and a security guarantee for China’s peaceful development. Subordinate to and serving the national strategic goal, China’s military strategy is an overarching guidance for blueprinting and directing the building and employment of the country’s armed forces. At this new historical starting point, China’s armed forces will adapt themselves to new changes in the national security environment, firmly follow the goal of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to build a strong military for the new situation, implement the military strategic guideline of active defense in the new situation, accelerate the modernization of national defense and armed forces, resolutely safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests, and provide a strong guarantee for achieving the national strategic goal of the “two centenaries” and for realizing the Chinese Dream of Naval honour guard at the Liaoning. achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese”’ Image Source: Xinhua News Agency Photo Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 2 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 3 Army bids farewell to Chief The Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO, officially handed over the command of the Army at a parade in Canberra on 15 May. After four years as the Army’s Chief, Lieutenant General Morrison has passed command to Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, DSC, AM. Lieutenant General Morrison expressed his gratitude to his colleagues, friends and family for their support during his 36 year career which has included roles in Operation Lagoon in Papua New Guinea, INTERFET in Timor Leste; Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), Commander of the 3rd Brigade, and Commander, Forces Command. Lieutenant General Campbell has served as the Commander of the Joint Agency Task Force for Operation Sovereign Borders, overseen operations in the Middle East as Commander Joint Task Force 633 and commanded on operations in Timor-Leste. Lieutenant General Campbell officially took command of the Australian Army at 12:01am, Saturday, 16 May 2015. Lieutenant General Morrison’s speech is available at: http://army.gov.au/Our-work/Speeches-and-transcripts/Chief-of- Army-address-farewell Chief of Joint Operations welcomes Australia’s strong partnership with NATO The Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, has recently welcomed the continuing strength of Australia’s partnership with the NATO, including through the ADF contribution to the NATO-led non-combat Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. During the NATO Chiefs of Defence meeting on 19 and 20 May, Vice Admiral Johnston represented the Chief of the Defence Force at a Military Committee meeting on the Resolute Support Mission. Australia remains one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the Resolute Support Mission, through a contribution of about 400 ADF personnel. This commitment continues to train, advise, and assist the Afghan security ministries and Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). Alongside Finland, Georgia, Jordan and Sweden, Australia was given the opportunity to become an ‘Enhanced Opportunities Partner’ by NATO in October 2014. This status reflects our longstanding contribution in Afghanistan and continued commitment to being a valued NATO partner. Official Newsletter of the Royal United Services InstitutePage |New 3 South Wales ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone:(02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 4 Airservices Australia and Defence strengthen collaboration on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Airservices Australia and the RAAF have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the operation of the Heron remotely piloted Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in Australian civil airspace. Commander of Surveillance and Response Group Air Commodore Chris Westwood and Airservices Australia’s Executive General Manager Air Traffic Control Greg Hood signed the MoA at a ceremony in Canberra. “The purpose of the MoA is to set out procedures for Airservices Australia and Air Force to work within, and allows the Heron to be safely flown in civil airspace without any significant impact on civil air traffic,” Air Commodore Westwood said. The Heron is planned to fly in civilian airspace from Rockhampton Airport in late June, as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015. This will be the first time the aircraft has flown outside of restricted military airspace in Australia. Institute News An Executive Meeting and a Council Meeting were held on 15 June and covered a wide range of issues. Representations In addition to attending and laying a wreath at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Cenotaph, Martin Place, on 25 April the President represented the Institute at 2 other commemorative events and a civic event in April. Vice President Colonel John Hutcheson also represented the Institute at the Indigenous Ceremony at the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, on 29 May and laid a wreath. New Members A special welcome is extended to the following new members: Mr Nicholas Dettman; Captain David Christopher Michael; Mr Geoffrey Spencer Brown Deceased Members It is with a deep sense of sadness that the passing of the following members is recorded: Flying Officer Ross Pearson, OAM, RAAF (Ret’d), served in with the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command during World War II and participated in attacks on Germany’s industrial heartland, the Ruhr Valley.