The White Paper 2009 states that Army will acquire a new fleet of around 1,100 deployable protected vehicles, under project Land 400 – Combined Arms Fighting System (CAFS).
Colonel Chris Field, writing in the Australian Army Journal Vol. 7, No.1 (Five Challenges for Future Infantry) says the project has the potential to change Army and change Future Infantry and he offers the following questions for possible Future Infantry adaption and change in the context of L400-CAFS.
1. Will L400-CAFS see a merging of current mechanised and motorised infantry skills into a single enhanced, networked, mounted close combat infantry capability?
2. What does L400-CAFS mean for Future Infantry’s employment as part of the broader combined arms team? How does L400-CAFS affect Future Infantry’s interoperability with Future Cavalry and Future Armour?
3. Will Future Infantry fight from and/or with L400-CAFS and its associated combat systems?
4. Does Future Infantry require L400-CAFS to carry an Infantry Section? Should Future Infantry crew L400-CAFS?
5. To what extent should L400-CAFS be interoperable with allies/coalition partners?
In the same paper COL Field questions the role of Future Infantry under JP 2048 (LHD Amphibious Ships) including asking what is Future Infantry’s position on amphibious specialised brigades or battalions and what amphibious training will be required?