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| Australian Defence Force School of Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Name | Australian Defence Force School of Infantry |
| Established | 1948 |
| Type | Military training institution |
| Country | Australia |
| Branch | Australian Army |
| Garrison | Lone Pine Barracks, Singleton |
| Motto | "Aggressors of the Future" |
Australian Defence Force School of Infantry is the principal Australian Army institution for infantry doctrine, tactics, and soldiering, providing foundational and advanced instruction to Army, Royal Australian Navy, and Royal Australian Air Force personnel. It supports combined-arms interoperability with training links to allied institutions and joint units while maintaining close relationships with expeditionary formations and multinational partners. The school contributes to doctrine, capability development, and force generation for operations ranging from peacekeeping to high-intensity combat.
The origins trace to post‑World War II reforms influenced by experiences from World War II, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency, with institutional predecessors such as training cadres formed during the Second World War and later reorganisations under Department of Defence (Australia). Throughout the Cold War era the school adapted lessons from operations in Borneo (Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation), Vietnam War, and counter‑insurgency campaigns, aligning curricula with directives from Australian Army, Chief of Army (Australia), and allied doctrines from United States Army and British Army. The school’s evolution reflected shifts following inquiries like the post‑Vietnam reviews and the Defence White Papers of 1976, 1987, 2000, and 2013, with structural changes influenced by units such as 1st Division (Australia), 3rd Brigade (Australia), and the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Recent history includes adaptation to lessons from operations in Iraq War (2003–2011), War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and peacekeeping missions in East Timor and Solomon Islands.
The school’s mission supports force generation tasks assigned by Forces Command (Australia), implementing infantry capability outputs that meet requirements set by Chief of the Defence Force (Australia) and capability managers like Land 400. It develops doctrine aligned with publications from Australian Defence Doctrine Centre and allied doctrinal frameworks such as United States Army Field Manual and British Army Field Manuals. The role encompasses soldier development, leader development, unit-level collective training, and doctrinal experimentation to inform acquisition programs managed by Defence Materiel Organisation and successors.
Organisationally the school reports through Forces Command (Australia) into the Australian Army hierarchy, coordinating with formations including 7th Brigade (Australia), 17th Sustainment Brigade (Australia), and brigade combat teams. Subunits mirror functional specialisations with lines to schools like School of Armour (Australia), School of Artillery (Australia), and School of Military Engineering (Australia). Leadership rotates among senior officers who have previously commanded units such as 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and participated in staff colleges like Australian Command and Staff College and UK Defence Academy.
Courses range from initial employment training for recruits transitioning from institutions such as Army Recruit Training Centre (Kapooka) to advanced courses for non‑commissioned officers and officers who may have graduated from Royal Military College, Duntroon. Programs include basic infantry soldier courses, section commander courses, platoon sergeant courses, and specialist courses in reconnaissance, urban operations, and close quarters battle with curriculum informed by incidents from Battle of Long Tan studies and urban operations doctrine used in Siege of Marawi analyses. Joint training occurs with elements from Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Australian Navy and exchange programs with United States Marine Corps, British Army Royal Marines, Canadian Army, and New Zealand Army.
The school is headquartered at Lone Pine Barracks near Singleton, New South Wales with firing ranges, urban training villages, and live‑fire complexes comparable to ranges used by Townsville Field Training Area and ranges in Puckapunyal Military Area. Facilities support combined‑arms exercises with access to training support from units based at Holsworthy Barracks, Victoria Barracks, Sydney, and multinational training platforms including the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area. Simulation suites integrate models influenced by systems from Defence Science and Technology Group collaborations and range instrumentation aligned with NATO standard tracking systems.
Weapons training covers service small arms such as the F88 Austeyr, support weapons including the M2 Browning, anti‑armour systems like the Javelin (missile system), and integration with indirect fires from systems in cooperation with School of Artillery (Australia). Training emphasises use of communications suites from vendors used by Signals Corps (Australia), night‑vision equipment compatible with AN/PVS systems, and employment of armoured support from platforms such as the M1 Abrams in coalition contexts. Courses include marksmanship, close‑quarters battle, patrolling, reconnaissance, and combined arms manoeuvre with live‑fire, blank‑ammo, and virtual simulation components modelled on allied programs from United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.
Alumni include commanders and senior leaders who served in operations such as Operation Slipper, Operation Catalyst, Operation Astute, and peacekeeping rotations to Bougainville, with former students rising to appointments within Australian Defence Force senior leadership and political office. Graduates have been decorated with awards such as the Victoria Cross for Australia, Distinguished Service Cross (Australia), and Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) for actions in campaigns including Afghanistan, Iraq, and stability operations in Timor-Leste. The school’s influence is evident in doctrine adopted during multinational exercises like Talisman Sabre and capability trials informing procurements under programs like LAND 400.