{{Short description|2014–17 restructuring of the Australian Army}} thumb|500px|The Australian Army's structure from 2019 '''Plan Beersheba''' was a significant restructure of the Australian Army, announced in 2011.<ref name="Defence announces major Army restructure">{{cite news|title=Defence announces major Army restructure|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-12/defence-announces-major-army-restructure/3726630|accessdate=16 August 2015|work=ABC News|date=12 December 2011}}</ref> The process of implementing the organisational changes began in 2014, and was completed in 2017.<ref name="Army Multi-role Combat Brigades">{{cite web|title=Multi-role Combat Brigades|url=http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/Projects/Plan-BEERSHEBA/Multi-role-Combat-Brigades|website=Australian Army|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713182513/http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/Projects/Plan-BEERSHEBA/Multi-role-Combat-Brigades|archive-date=13 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Army Delivers Final Component">{{cite web|title=Army Delivers Final Component of Plan Beersheba|url=https://www.army.gov.au/media-room/media-releases/army-delivers-final-component-of-plan-beersheba|website=Australian Army|date=28 October 2017|accessdate=22 December 2017}}</ref>

==Changes to the regular Army==

Under Plan Beersheba, the Army's three regular force combat brigades (the 1st, 3rd and 7th Brigades) were restructured into multi-role formations with a similar structure.<ref name="Defence announces major Army restructure" /> Before this time the brigades were structured as mechanised, light infantry and motorised infantry formations respectively.

Following the reorganisation, each of the multi-role brigades comprises:<ref name="Army Multi-role Combat Brigades" /> *Brigade headquarters *One armoured cavalry regiment (each equipped with M1A1 tanks, ASLAV light armoured vehicles, and M113 armoured personnel carriers)<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bickell|first1=Craig|title=Plan Beersheba: The Combined Arms Imperative Behind the Reorganisation of the Army|journal=Australian Army Journal|date=2013|volume=X|issue=4|page=39|url=https://www.army.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1846/f/aaj_2013_4.pdf|publisher=Land Warfare Studies Centre |location=Canberra, Australian Capital Territory|issn=1448-2843}}</ref> *Two light infantry battalions *One artillery regiment *One combat engineer regiment *One combat signals regiment *One combat service support battalion

The three brigades rotate through a 36-month-long readiness cycle, comprising three 12-month phases. These comprise a 'reset' phase during which the brigade's soldiers conduct individual training, a 'readying' phase in which the brigade's units will prepare for combat operations, and a 'ready' phase in which the brigade is available to deploy.<ref name="Army Plan BEERSHEBA">{{cite web|title=Plan BEERSHEBA|url=http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/Projects/Plan-BEERSHEBA|website=Australian Army|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307135713/http://army.gov.au/Our-future/Projects/Plan-BEERSHEBA|archive-date=7 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment specialises in amphibious warfare.<ref name="Army Plan BEERSHEBA" />

The three combat brigades are supported by the specialist 6th, 16th and 17th Brigades.<ref name="Prime Minister and Minister for Defence">{{cite press release|author=Prime Minister and Minister for Defence |title=2013 Defence White Paper: 'Plan BEERSHEBA' – Restructuring the Australian Army|url=http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2013/05/03/prime-minister-and-minister-for-defence-2013-defence-white-paper-plan-beersheba-restructuring-the-australian-army/|website=Department of Defence Ministers|date=3 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614065622/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2013/05/03/prime-minister-and-minister-for-defence-2013-defence-white-paper-plan-beersheba-restructuring-the-australian-army/|archive-date=14 June 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Changes to the Army Reserve== thumb|An 8th Brigade soldier during an exercise in 2016 in which the brigade formed Battle Group Waratah to operate alongside the regular 7th Brigade. Such a pairing is a key feature of the Plan Beersheba reforms Australian Army Reserve units were significantly restructured. As part of the changes, the Army stated that the reserves' role will become "to deliver specified capability and support and sustain Australian Defence Force (ADF) preparedness and operations".<ref name=Reserves>{{cite web|title=Reserves|url=http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/Projects/Plan-BEERSHEBA/Reserves|website=Australian Army|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204175223/http://www.army.gov.au/Our-future/Projects/Plan-BEERSHEBA/Reserves|archive-date=4 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The six reserve brigades in the Army's 2nd Division have also been assigned a new role. Two army reserve brigades have been paired with each of the regular brigades.<ref name=Reserves /> The 4th and 9th Brigades have partnered with the 1st Brigade, the 5th and 8th Brigades with the 7th Brigade, and the 11th and 13th Brigades with the 3rd Brigade.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Clay|first=Peter|title=The Australian Army's 2nd Division: An Update|url=http://www.rusinsw.org.au/Papers/20130924.pdf|journal=United Service|publisher=Royal United Services Institute of New South Wales|date=June 2014|volume=65|issue=2|page=29}}</ref> The pairs of brigades are expected to be able to provide a battalion-sized force upon mobilisation during the regular brigade's 12 month 'ready' phase.<ref name=Reserves />

The structure of the reserve brigades has also been changed. The reserve artillery regiments have been re-equipped with mortars, the reserve Royal Australian Armoured Corps units converted from light cavalry to producing crews for Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles, and a brigade operational supply company was established within each of the combat services support battalions.<ref name=Reserves />

==2023 restructure==

In September 2023 it was announced that the Army would revert to a structure of three combat brigades with specialist roles. The 1st Brigade will become a light infantry unit, the 3rd Brigade an armoured unit and the 7th Brigade a motorised unit. The 10th Brigade will also be re-raised as a fires unit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dougherty |first1=Robert |title=Major ‘specialist combat brigades’ restructure unveiled for Australian Army |url=https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/land/12876-major-specialist-combat-brigades-restructure-unveiled-for-australian-army |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=Defence Connect |date=28 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Australian Army