Session 3.7e Update: The Australian Defence Force's Evolving Approach to Operations in the Information Environment
Tracks
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| Thursday, November 19, 2026 |
| 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM |
| Sutherland Theatre |
Presentation Outline
Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) have become an increasingly central element of military operations in the contemporary global security environment. State and non-state actors alike exploit information to influence perceptions, shape narratives, and undermine adversary decision making and cohesion. Technological drivers - including artificial intelligence, pervasive social media ecosystems, big data analytics, and advanced cyber capabilities - have accelerated the scale, precision, and persistence of these operations. This evolving landscape blurs traditional boundaries between peace and conflict, requiring integration across the physical, informational, and cognitive dimensions of the information environment. Accordingly, maintaining effective, adaptive, and current OIE doctrine is critical for militaries to ensure operational success and decision advantage.
In this presentation, I will provide an overview of the Australian Defence Force’s emerging approach to OIE. In the first part of the presentation, I describe the ‘as is’ state of ADF joint doctrine. In the second section of the presentation, I outline arguable deficiencies in this doctrine regarding fitness-for-purpose for the contemporary operational environment. In the third part of the presentation, I identify key drivers that might inform the form of the ADF’s in-development doctrine for joint OIE. And in the fourth section of the presentation, I address some other matters that arguably warrant action to enhance the ADF’s ability to conduct OIE. The presentation concludes with an urgent call to action, arising from the increased significance of OIE in the evolving global security environment.
Speaker
Mr Jeff Malone
Secretary
Association of Old Crows - Australia-New Zealand Chapter
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Biography
Mr Jeff Malone is a Senior Analyst in the Defence Science and Technology Group of the Australian Department of Defence. In his current role he is a science program manager supporting the delivery of the Defence Innovation, Science, and Technology Strategy. For the last decade he has also held a persistent secondary duty as the Theatre Information/Non-Kinetic Effects Evaluator at Headquarters Joint Operations Command J8 Branch for major exercises.
He previously served in the Australian Army as an Australian Intelligence Corps officer. In a previous Australian Public Service role he served as the Director of Intelligence of the Office of Transport Security (prior to its incorporation into the Department of Home Affairs). He was also a part time Senior Lecturer in the School of Systems and Computing, UNSW Canberra for over a decade.
Jeff is currently the Secretary - and a past President - of the Association of Old Crows Australia-New Zealand Chapter, being the global spectrum warfare, cyber warfare, and information operations professional association.
He previously served in the Australian Army as an Australian Intelligence Corps officer. In a previous Australian Public Service role he served as the Director of Intelligence of the Office of Transport Security (prior to its incorporation into the Department of Home Affairs). He was also a part time Senior Lecturer in the School of Systems and Computing, UNSW Canberra for over a decade.
Jeff is currently the Secretary - and a past President - of the Association of Old Crows Australia-New Zealand Chapter, being the global spectrum warfare, cyber warfare, and information operations professional association.
