Why National Defence?
The 2024 National Defence Strategy explicitly introduces the concept of National Defence, which is seen as “a coordinated, whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to meet the strategic challenges Australia faces, including the threat of conflict and the prospect of coercion. It is much broader than the previous military strategic concept of Defence of Australia: it harnesses all arms of Australia’s national power to establish a holistic, integrated and focused approach to protect our security and advance our interests.
In addition to its investment in the ADF, National Defence works alongside broader initiatives aimed at achieving: Integrated statecraft; national resilience; industry resilience; supply chain resilience; innovation, science and technology; workforce and skills base; a robust National Intelligence community..
We’re not the only one.
Concepts of ‘total defence’ are explored in the National Defence Strategy, where a functioning total defence structure involves all aspects of society.
For both Singapore and Sweden and many other nations, concepts of ‘total defence’ sit under 6 pillars Military, Civil, Economic, Social, Psychological, and Digital Defence. Inclusion and uplift of the Australian food industry extends to how ration style foods can be supplied to the nation in times of war, conflict and natural disaster.
When we analyse the Ukraine example, we can see clear lessons to increase the development cycles, joining defence and industry often through crowd sourced ideas and innovation to bring a competitive advantage to the battlefield.
The conflict provides a view to how a young generation in a digitally connected nation enacts total defence and a whole of nation responds to military threats. Defence Nutrition Australia is using these lessons along with the National Defence Strategy to guide our operations.
What does it mean for Australia?
This initiative of Defence Nutrition Australia to engage in forming a total defence architecture through including the Australian food industry, is above and separate to existing contracts.
It looks to bring together true Australian agriculture, science, manufacturing, transport, indigenous partners, academics into a digitally networked defence mindset where everyone has a role. We can’t out source our food security.
It means utilising all vetted aspects of industry for the support of our services, building a mutually supporting, tactically variable, resilient, system providing depth in defence and a whole of nation effort.
It means reassessing current arrangements and seeing how they can be uplifted towards the concept. It means changing the status quo and exploring innovative ideas that private industry can bring, often with asymmetric results.
What does it mean for Australia? It means the government trusting the very people it exists to protect to contribute to our national defence architecture.
The National Outcomes
We are facing the most unpredictable and dangerous strategic environment in decades that is threatening our supply chains and it requires a national response. Defence Nutrition Australia is working towards two clear national outcomes to build a sovereign, resilient, whole-of-nation food supply grounded in Australian agriculture and manufacturing. We are building a network of farmers, manufacturers, logistics providers, researchers, community leaders, veterans and welcome supporters to this effort and drive solutions towards these national outcomes.
Total Defence
The Ukraine conflict shows that total defence begins with rapid acquisition, agile production and united industries. Australia’s deterrence lies in preparation, not reaction. A sovereign food supply is both a shield and a message: we can feed and defend ourselves, if necessary for years, if necessary, alone. Total defence structure involves all aspects of society. For both Singapore and Sweden, concepts of ‘total defence’ sit under 6 pillars Military, Civil, Economic, Social, Psychological, and Digital Defence. Inclusion of the Australian food industry towards the total defence extends to how ration style foods can be supplied to the nation in times of war, conflict and natural disaster and builds into the policy of national defence.
Ration Pack Supply
Long life, shelf stable food capability is essential to a functioning total defence, not just for service personnel needs, but also resilience in times of emergency and natural disaster. The ability to produce long life foods domestically and deliver them to areas of need is a matter of national significance. Defence Nutrition Australia is building up a network of Australian industry as an essential capability in total defence, bringing speed, innovation and collaboration in response to the most unpredictable and dangerous strategic environment in decades. When our service personnel are in active operations, that is the exact time they need the best nutrition not just for physical needs but also psychological and cognitive dominance.
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