Defence Plaza Sydney Royal United Services Institute for Locked Bag 18, Darlinghurst NSW1 2010 Defence and Security Studies NSW, Inc Level 20, 270 Pit Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 www.rusinsw.org.au Newsletter [email protected] Issue No. 27 - 23 January 2017 Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 Introduction Welcome to this month’s issue of the electronic newsletter of the Institute, 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 Institute. Invite your colleagues to receive this newsletter by going to the newsletter page on the Institute’s website http://www.rusinsw.org.au/Newsletter where they can register their email contact details. Latest News – As the Department of Defence has not been very active with news items over the holiday period our news section in this newsletter is limited. Australia and France sign Future Submarine Inter-Governmental Agreement On 20 December 2016 Australia’s Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne and France’s Minister of Defence, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian, signed an Agreement on Australia’s Future Submarine Program. The agreement establishes the framework between the Governments of Australia and France required for the development of the Royal Australian Navy’s new fleet Following the signing of the Framework Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the French Republic Concerning Cooperation on the of submarines. “This historic Future Submarine Program Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Malcolm agreement builds on the Turnbull (centre), French Minister of Defence Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian and Minister for Defence Industry, The Honourable Christopher Pyne MP (right), answer questions strength and depth of the during a press conference. Australia-France defence relationship and is another significant step forward for Australia’s Future Submarine Program,” Minister Payne said. Official Newsletter of the Royal United ServicesPage | 1Institute for Defence and Security Studies NSW, Inc ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 2 “Australia’s 2016 Defence White Paper established the need for a highly sophisticated and regionally superior submarine fleet. This fleet will, with the assistance of France, be built in Australia. The agreement signed today will enable France to transfer cutting-edge skills, knowledge and technology to the Australian Government and Australian industry to achieve a sovereign operational and sustainment submarine capability in Australia. Underpinning Australia’s long-term partnership with French company DCNS for the design and build of Australia’s future submarines, the agreement also recognises the importance of maximising Australian industry involvement in the Future Submarine Program, including through deepening partnerships between Australian and French defence suppliers. This will drive innovation, jobs and economic growth right across Australia.” Minister Le Drian said France was committed to working with Australia to deliver a regionally superior sovereign submarine capability. “I am pleased to sign this agreement today and I thank Australia for hosting today’s historic event,” Minister Le Drian said. Minister Le Drian said the agreement would also strengthen the broader relationship between Australia and France. “The agreement is an important milestone in the deepening bilateral relationship, including operational cooperation between our Navies, and investment in innovation and technology. While in Sydney I visited the French Navy’s multi-mission ship d’Entrecasteaux, which was deployed to Noumea this year. Its presence in Sydney is a testament to the vitality of our operational cooperation.” Australian officer appointed to command international peacekeeping force Major General Simon Stuart has been appointed to lead a multinational peacekeeping force on the Sinai Peninsula. The Multinational Force and Observers, known as the MFO, is an independent organisation headquartered in Rome that supervises implementation of the security arrangements to the 1979 Treaty of Peace between Egypt and Israel. The Director General of the MFO, Ambassador David Satterfield, announced on 2 December 2016 that Major General Stuart would become Force Commander MFO from 1 March 2017. Australia has been a long-standing contributor to the MFO of more than 30 years and has an ongoing contribution of up to 25 Australian Defence Force members serving in key appointments. The Minister for Defence, Senator the Honourable Marise Payne Image taken as Departing Commander of the congratulated the Major General on his appointment International Stabilisation Force (ISF), Colonel and said this would be the second time in its history that Simon Stuart, receives a special Order of Merit from the President of East Timor Dr Jose Ramos an Australian has been appointed to this role. “Australia Horta, recognising his service to the country of has a long and proud history of contributing to East Timor in Command of the ISF from February to October 2010 international peacekeeping and peace building efforts,” Minister Payne said. “The MFO’s selection of an Australian to lead their force is testimony to the high regard in which our contribution is held by the international community.” The only other Australian to hold this post was Major General David Ferguson who commanded the Force from 1994 to 1997. Official Newsletter of the Royal United ServicesPage | 2Institute for Defence and Security Studies NSW, Inc ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 3 Institute News New Members A special welcome is extended to the following new member: Mr Neil Hawkins Upcoming Tuesday 31 January 2017 Dr David Leece Chair, Special Interest Group on Strategy Institute for Defence and Security Studies NSW Subject: “Sun Tzu to Douhet: the masters of grand strategy and their contemporary relevance” David Leece is a phytophysiologist by profession, David was a research scientist in the New South Wales Department of Agriculture for 20 years then became a senior executive of the State Pollution Control Commission and later Executive Director and Chief Scientist of the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority. He was concurrently the New South Wales Deputy Commissioner of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission for 13 years before retiring from full-time public service in 2002 after having served for 42 years in the New South Wales Public Service. In 2001, he was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service in the Environment Protection Authority. After retirement, he served for five years part-time as Assistant Commissioner of the Natural Resources Commission of New South Wales. In a parallel career, David became a citizen soldier in 1960 and subsequently served for 37 years in the Australian Defence Force. Along the way, he commanded a United States Marine Corps Reserve rifle company, the 17th Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment, and the 8th Australian Infantry Brigade. He also held senior staff appointments on the headquarters of 2nd Division, Field Force Command and Training Command. He retired as a brigadier in 1997. For his military service, he was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration (RFD) with three claps; the Efficiency Decoration (ED); the National Medal; and the Australian Defence Medal. To be held at: Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, Level 1 280 Pitt Street, Sydney – start 1pm. Attendance fees: Members $10.00; Non-members $15.00. Pre-event registration is unnecessary. Tea/coffee is available before the lecture at no cost. Sandwich lunch is also available from 12 noon (cost: $8.00), must be ordered through the office (9393 2325) by 2 pm on the day before the lecture. Tuesday 28 February 2017 Mr Mike Carlton Author and Broadcaster Subject: His new book ‘Flagship’ Mike Carlton began his career in journalism at the ABC in 1963. He has been a war correspondent in Vietnam, ABC News bureau chief in Indonesia, a TV news and current affairs reporter, and then talk radio presenter in Sydney and London. A keen student of naval history, his book, on Australia’s entry into the First World War, deals with HMAS Australia II, a ship fast, spacious and modern by the standard of the times. It centres on the ship’s role during World War II in the great battles with Japan. Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, Level 1 280 Pitt Street, Sydney – start 1pm. Official Newsletter of the Royal United ServicesPage | 3Institute for Defence and Security Studies NSW, Inc ABN 80 724 654 162 www.rusinsw.org.au [email protected] Telephone: (02) 9393 2325 Fax: (02) 9393 3543 4 Tuesday 13 December 2016 Professor Daniel Marston BA (Hons) MA (McGill) DPhil (Oxon.) FRHistS. "The return of Mars and Minerva: The Art of War and professional military education." Images - (clockwise from top left) Presenter: Daniel Marston; Member James Mitchell, Prof. Marston and Institute President Paul Irving discussing the lecture; Institute Board Member and Lecture co-ordinator Ken Broadhead and Prof. Marston; Members John Haynes, James Mitchell, Prof. Marston and member John Hitchen discussing the lecture issues; Prof. Marston and Board Member Peter Sweeney; Life Member John Haynes asked one of the many questions. [Images