Bethany Alvaro 
The new pilot program highlights how modern operations extend well beyond the physical battlefield, focusing on cyber and digital threats as an active military threat.
Led by the JCG, the training saw personnel from 2 Company, 1st Intelligence Battalion, and the New Zealand Defence Force engage in a range of activities focusing on response to information threats.
“Before Defence can employ information environment capabilities at scale, we need to start from first principles – building a workforce that understands how these toolsets translate into real capability and how information shapes behaviour and decision making,” said Commander of the Space and Cyber Capability Division, Paul Pelczar.
“The pilot was about building that foundation transparently and in a well-governed way, while engaging a broad range of stakeholders and an increasingly active community of interest.”
Pelczar said adversaries are increasingly using information as a tool of influence, attempting to gain advantage and impose threats without traditional force.
The program also taught personnel how to improve coordination across units, so messaging and responses are more aligned in rapidly evolving environments.
The introduction of this program comes as the Australian Defence Force Cyber Command celebrates its second year of operations, which has thus far seen ADF involvement in 130 domestic and international activities on cyber and information warfare.
Major General Robert Watson, Commander Cyber Command, said the ADF’s cyber knowledge and response have increased rapidly over the past two years.
“Our understanding of the cyber threat has grown, and more importantly, we have continued educating the ADF and the department on the evolving threat,” MAJGEN Watson said.
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