Assoc Prof Ian Langford, PhD, a former senior military officer and a Strategic Advisor at UBH Group, provides his thoughts on the public release of the Australian Government’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR). 

“If the Defence Strategic Review is to take full advantage of the huge opportunity Australia has when it comes to technology and sovereign defence, it needs to prioritise onshore technology and its skilled workforce to build the type of resilience needed to survive in the event of a major security crisis or conflict in our region,” he said. 

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“Unlocking Australia’s technological competitive advantage through the prioritisation of engineering, training, learning and development in data and computer science is an important first step,” he continues.  

“‘Operationalising’ these capabilities through exposure to military capability experimentation as well as test and evaluation allows emerging technology to ‘spiral’ into existing military platforms and systems as well as feature in the needs and requirements of future capability.” 

Mr Langford states that people and technology are the keys to improving future capability and that the DSR should emphasise it. 

“When combined with the right mix of technology, integrated onto our military platforms, a DSR-inspired Australian Defence Force will ‘punch above its weight’,” he said.  

“It is little wonder our military personnel and equipment are universally regarded as world-leading; it is because they are. The DSR can reinforce this by allowing our people to access the right technology and apply it to full effect.” 

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Retired brigadier Ian Langford is an Australian Defence Force star-ranked officer, a respected and decorated army leader who received three Distinguished Services Crosses before concluding his career as Head of Land Capability.  

He has a PhD in philosophy, attended Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, recently graduated from Australian Institute of Company Directors and has taken Associate Professorship with UNSW. 

UBH Group is a veteran-owned and sovereign Australian company providing Information Domain services to Government and Defence.  

Since its inception in 2020, the company has grown rapidly, with a team of 31 information domain professionals recruited with extensive Defence force backgrounds. 

Ian Langford

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Brigadier (retired) Ian Langford is an Australian Defence Force star-ranked officer, one of our most respected and decorated army leaders who received three Distinguished Services Crosses before concluding his career as Head of Land Capability. He has a PhD in philosophy, attended Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, recently graduated from Australian Institute of Company Directors and has taken Associate Professorship with UNSW.

Ian recently joined UBH Group as a strategic Advisor. It's a veteran owned and sovereign Australian company providing Information Domain services to Government and Defence. Since its inception, the company has grown rapidly, with a team of consultants recruited extensively from Defence force backgrounds.

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