Independent Federation of Australia Army
The Independent Federation of Australia Army is Australia’s military land force and is part of the Independent Federation of Australia Defence Force. It provides a potent, versatile and modern Army which contributes to the security of Australia, protecting its interests and people.
1st Division
The 1st Division (1 Div) is currently responsible for high-level training activities and is capable of being deployed to command large scale ground operations. It does not have any combat units permanently assigned to it, though it commands units during training activities and the Land Combat Readiness Centre reports to the divisional headquarters. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane. At the request of Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), 1 Div also has the role to stand up a Deployable Joint Force Headquarters (DJFHQ) for a Land based operation—this deployable Headquarters is a joint formation, comprising units of the Independent Federation of Australia Navy and the Independent Federation of Australia Air Force, as well as the army.
Forces Command
Forces Command (FORCOMD) mission is to generate Army's foundation warfighting capability in order to ensure individuals and force elements are successful in Adaptive Campaigning. Headquarters Forces Command manages approximately 85% of the Army’s personnel including the 1st Brigade in Darwin, 3rd Brigade in Townsville, 7th Brigade in Brisbane, 6th Brigade in Sydney, 16th Aviation Brigade in Brisbane and 17th Combat Service Support Brigade in Sydney along with Army’s training establishments including Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka, Army Military College at Duntroon, Combined Arms Training Centre in Puckapunyal, Army Logistics Training Centre at Bandiana and Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey.
Headquarters Forces Command has responsibility for the development, training and sustainment of the Army’s Reserve capability. This is vested with Headquarters 2nd Division which commands the Army’s six Reserve Brigades.
The structure of Forces Command enables the Army to more effectively and efficiently conduct force generation and force preparation for current and future operations, and enhancing the Army’s foundation warfighting skills is the essence of this command. Established on 1 July 2009, Forces Command became the Army’s largest functional command with the amalgamation of Land and Training Commands and the transfer of the 1st, 3rd and 7th Brigades into its structure. With its origins in the amalgamation of Land Command and Training Command, Forces Command has inherited a proud history which continues with its location at Victoria Barracks Sydney, in Paddington.
The motto of Forces Command is 'Observe-Learn-Adapt-Win', which summarises the foundation for operational success.
1st Brigade
The 1st Brigade (1 Bde) is one of Australia’s three multi-role combat brigades consisting of more than 3400 civilian and military personnel. Based at Robertson Barracks, Palmerston, 20kms south of Darwin in Northern Australia, 1st Brigade soldiers and families are at the forefront of the Australia's operational commitments around the world.
The 1st Brigade currently consists of the following units:
• HQ 1 Brigade;
• 1st Armoured Regiment (Main Battle Tank);
• 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Armoured Reconnaissance);
• 5th Battalion, Australian Regiment (Mechanized infantry);
• 7th Battalion, Australian Regiment (Mechanized infantry);
• 8th/12th Medium Regiment, Regiment of Australian Artillery;
• 1st Combat Engineer Regiment (Combat Engineers);
• 1st Combat Signal Regiment;
• 1st Combat Service Support Battalion.
Although the brigade is split, the Adelaide–Darwin Railway can be used to transport heavy vehicles and equipment north. In its current configuration, the brigade is currently capable of operating three battlegroups, one formed around 1st Armoured Regiment as an armour-heavy formation and the other two around 5th Battalion, Australian Regiment and 7th Battalion, Australian Regiment operating as mechanised infantry formations.
3rd Brigade
The 3rd Brigade (3 Bde) is a multi-role combat brigade of the Australian Army, consisting of more than 4000 civilian and military personnel.
The 3rd Brigade currently consists of the following units:
• 3rd Brigade Headquarters;
• B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment;
• 4th Regiment, Australian Artillery;
• 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment;
• 3rd Combat Signals Regiment
• 1st Battalion, Australian Regiment;
• 2nd Battalion, Australian Regiment;
• 3rd Battalion, Australian Regiment;
• 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion;
6th Brigade (CS&ISTAR)
The 6th Brigade (6 Bde) is a specialist Australian Army brigade. The brigade was re-raised on 1st March 2010 to oversee the Army's command support and intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (CS & ISTAR) units.
The 6th Brigade currently consists of the following units:
• 16th Air Land Regiment
• 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment
• 6th Engineer Support Regiment
• 19th Chief Engineer Works
• 7th Signal Regiment
• 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment
• North West Mobile Force (NORFORCE)
• Pilbara Regiment
• 1st Intelligence Battalion
7th Brigade
The 7th Brigade (7 Bde) is a multi-role combat brigade of the Australian Army.
The 7th Brigade currently consists of the following units:
• 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry)
• 1st Regiment, Australian Artillery
• 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment
• 139th Signals Squadron
• 6th Battalion, Australian Regiment
• 8th/9th Battalion, Australian Regiment
• 7th Combat Service Support Battalion
The 7th Brigade is based in Brisbane, Queensland and is composed mainly of units of the Regular Army.
16th Aviation Brigade
The 16th Aviation Brigade (16 Avn Bde) is an aviation brigade of the Australian Army. The 16th Aviation Brigade currently commands most of the Australian Army's aviation units. Formed on 2 April 2002 from the amalgamation of the Aviation Support Group and the 1st Division's Aviation unit, it is headquartered in Enoggera, Queensland with units based throughout Australia.
The 16th Aviation Brigade currently consists of the following units:
1st Aviation Regiment
• 161st Squadron
• 162nd Squadron
• Logistical Support Squadron
• Technical Support Squadron
5th Aviation Regiment
• A Squadron
• B Squadron
• C Squadron
• Logistical Support Squadron
• Technical Support Squadron
6th Aviation Regiment
• 171st Aviation Squadron
• 173rd Aviation Squadron
• Technical Administration Support Squadron
17th Combat Service Support Brigade
The 17th Combat Service Support Brigade (17 CSS Bde) currently commands the Australian Army's deployable Third Line Combat Service Support (CSS) and Military Police units. The role of 17 CSS Bde is to provide general Combat Service Support and Military Policing to land based forces in joint, combined and interagency operations. It is made up of specialist logistic, health and military police capabilities, and represents a variety of corps and trades. It encompasses both reserve and full time units, geographically dispersed throughout Australia. Headquartered in Sydney, New South Wales, the Brigade will raise and command a Force Support Group to support operations.
The 17th Combat Service Support Brigade currently consists of the following units:
• 17th Signals Regiment
• 2nd Force Support Battalion
• 9th Force Support Battalion
• 10th Force Support Battalion
• 1st Close Health Support Battalion
• 2nd General Health Support Battalion
• 3rd Health Support Battalion
• 1st Military Police Battalion
• 1st Psychology Unit
Special Operations Command
Special Operations Command’s (SOCOMD) mission is to provide ready and relevant forces to conduct Special Operations across the operational continuum in a joint, combined or interagency environment, in support of Australian national interests. Special Operations Headquarters manages the direct command units within SOCOMD. Those units consist of the Special Air Service Regiment, 1st Commando Regiment, 2nd Commando Regiment, Special Operations Engineer Regiment, Special Operations Logistics Squadron, Special Forces Training Centre and the Parachute Training School.
The motto of Special Operations Command is 'Acies Acuta', which is Latin for ‘The Cutting Edge'.