David Horner

David Horner is the Official Historian and Professor of Australian Defence History at the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre within the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University. With a distinguished career spanning military service and academia, Professor Horner brings unique perspective to the study of Australian defence and strategic history.

Professor Horner's educational background includes:

• AM
• DipMilStud from the Royal Military College (RMC)
• MA (Hons) from the University of New South Wales (UNSW)
• PhD from the Australian National University (ANU)

His research focuses on Australian defence history, particularly strategy, command, intelligence and operations, as well as current defence issues. Professor Horner leads major research projects including the Official History of Australian Peacekeeping and Post-Cold War Operations (a joint ANU-Australian War Memorial project) and the Official History of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. His work spans the Cold War era, Australian military engagements, and post-Cold War operations, with particular emphasis on Australian military leadership, intelligence operations, and regional security dynamics.

Professor Horner's publications demonstrate consistent scholarly productivity since 1998, with notable output peaks in 2002, 2009, and 2016. His work covers diverse periods from the Boer War through to contemporary operations in Iraq, reflecting comprehensive expertise in Australia's military engagements across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with particular focus on leadership, strategic decision-making, and operational history.

Professor Horner has received significant recognition for his scholarly contributions:

• Elected Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (2015)
• UK Intelligence Book of the Year Prize (2015)
• Joint winner of the 2015 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Australian History for "The Spy Catchers: The Official History of ASIO, 1949-1963"

Professor Horner has supervised numerous significant research projects including the Official History of Peacekeeping (Volumes 1 and 4), Australian Peacekeeping Vol 5, and the Official History of Australian Peacekeeping Vol. 5. His collaborative work extends to the Australian Dictionary of Biography Online projects, demonstrating commitment to preserving and enhancing historical resources for academic and public use.

As part of the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre, Professor Horner contributes to one of Australia's premier institutions for research on defence and strategic policy. His work bridges academic scholarship and practical defence policy, informed by his 25 years of service in the Australian Regular Army including active duty in South Vietnam, providing unique insights into the intersection of military practice and historical analysis.