The Defence Strategic Review (DSR) 2023 emphasised the increasingly intense great-power competition affecting Australia and the Indo-Pacific today. Despite the DSR’s focus on increasing competition, it offered little guidance as to how this competition manifests. Often termed ‘Grey Zone’ activities, competition today includes political warfare, economic coercion, and irregular warfare.

Irregular Warfare (IW) is defined in US doctrine as “a violent struggle among state and non-state actors for legitimacy and influence over the relevant populations.” The absence of publicly available guidance pertaining to ‘grey zone’ competition is an urgent policy, training, and education gap to which this course responds.

This course will be conducted using a wargame in the Indo-Pacific to draw out key learning outcomes, at a UNSW Canberra (ADFA) venue. Theory components will include insights from experts at Kings College London and Arizona State University – PluS Alliance partners of UNSW.

Your instructors:

Professor David Kilcullen is a former soldier, diplomat, and scholar of guerrilla warfare, terrorism, urbanisation and future conflict, who served 25 years for the Australian and United States governments.

Prof. Martijn Kitzen holds the chair in Irregular Warfare and Special Operations at the Netherlands Defence Academy. His research and teaching focus on irregular warfare in fragmented societies with a particular interest in the way special operations forces can be deployed in such an environment.

A/Prof. Ian Langford served for over 31 years in the Australian Army in command appointments, force design and joint capability development areas, with his most recent role being the Head of Land Capability. He now privately consults across a range of industries and teaches at UNSW.

Andrew Maher, a Professor of Practice at Arizona State University and co-course convenor with David Kilcullen on the post-graduate courses, GRIM Threats (Irregular Warfare) and Theory of Special Operations. Andrew is the administrative lead for this course and your point of contact: Andrew.maher@adfa.edu.au.

This course is intended for working professionals in the national security community at the APS6-EL1 or O3-O5 levels of experience and will offer you networking opportunities. The course will be run from 0900-1700 daily.