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This article discusses and contrasts conceptual developments in the Australian and Canadian armies as a result of their operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. It argues that these developments are significant because they represent a substantial break with tradition. Whereas in the past both armies have readily adapted the conceptual developments of other militaries (particularly the American and British) to suit their own needs, recent developments indicate a more proactive and genuinely innovative approach to overcoming operational challenges. The factors underlying this new found innovation are examined and it is posited that current operational demands and a lack of recent allied conceptual innovation have coalesced to trigger a conceptual ‘coming-of-age’ in both armies.

*Note: this article begins on page 85 of the journal contained in the below pdf file.

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