Editing Australian Defence Force (section)

===Formation===
[[Image:HMAS Melbourne (R21) and USS Midway (CV-41) underway, 16 May 1981 (6380752).jpg|thumb|upright|alt=An aerial photo of an aircraft carrier with several aircraft on her flight deck. Another carrier is visible in the background.|The retirement of the aircraft carrier {{HMAS|Melbourne|R21|6}} without replacement in 1982 marked a shift away from the policy of "forward defence".{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=55}}]]
By 1870, each of the then Australian colonies [[Colonial forces of Australia|maintained their own military forces]]. On 1 January 1901, the colonies [[Federation of Australia|federated into a new nation]] and on 1 March 1901, these colonial forces were amalgamated to establish the [[Australian Army]] and Commonwealth Naval Force.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Australian Army |url=https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/understanding-military-structure/army |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=Australian War Memorial}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greg |first=Swinden |date=2011-06-14 |title=Australasian Naval Forces and Commonwealth Naval Forces |url=https://navyhistory.au/australasian-naval-forces-and-commonwealth-naval-forces/ |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=Naval Historical Society of Australia |language=en-AU}}</ref>{{sfn|Grey|2008|p=67}} In 1911, the government established the [[Royal Australian Navy]], which absorbed the Commonwealth Naval Force.{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|p=467}} The Army established the [[Australian Flying Corps]] in 1912 which was separated to form the [[Royal Australian Air Force]] in 1921.{{sfn|Dennis et al|2008|pp=61, 457}} The services were not linked by a single chain of command, as they each reported to their own separate Minister and had separate administrative arrangements. The three services saw action around the world during [[Military history of Australia during World War I|World War I]] and [[Military history of Australia during World War II|World War II]], and took part in conflicts in Asia during the [[Cold War]].{{sfn|Horner|2007|pp=145–150}}

The importance of [[joint warfare]] was made clear to the Australian military during World War II when Australian naval, ground and air units frequently served as part of single commands. Following the war, several senior officers lobbied for the appointment of a [[commander in chief|commander-in-chief]] of the three services. The government rejected this proposal and the three services remained fully independent.{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=42}} The absence of a central authority resulted in poor coordination between the services, with each service organising and operating under different [[military doctrine]].{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=44}}

The need for an integrated command structure received more emphasis due to inefficient arrangements [[Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War|during the Vietnam War]] which at times hindered the military's efforts.{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=44}} In 1973, the Secretary of the [[Department of Defence (Australia)|Department of Defence]], [[Arthur Tange]], submitted a report to the Government that recommended the unification of the separate departments supporting each service under a single ''Department of Defence,'' and the creation of the position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff. The government accepted these recommendations, and the Australian Defence Force was established on 9 February 1976.{{sfn|Horner|2001|p=47}}