The Turnbull government plans to stick with the RAAF's strict rules of engagement to avoid civilian casualties from its bombing raids in Iraq and Syria, putting it at odds with Washington's plans to ramp up the air campaign against the Islamic State group. 
US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said last week that the US was "prepared to change the rules of engagement", referring to the strictures on when weapons can be released. These rules ensure air strikes are lawful and do not pose an unacceptable risk to civilians.
However, both in the US and Australia, these rules are increasingly being criticised as too tight, especially following the attacks in Paris.
But Defence Minister Marise Payne told Fairfax Media that the government has "no plans to change Australia's rules of engagement".
"Members of the Australian Defence Force operate under strict rules of engagement designed to protect our forces and minimise the risk of injury to civilian non-combatants and strictly comply with Australia's obligations under domestic and international law," she said.
Dr Carter said the US had already started hitting IS fuel trucks, which had not previously been within Washington's rules.
Australia and other countries in the Western-led coalition work through a central command led by the US, meaning Australian pilots are often tasked by American commanders. But the final decision on whether to release a weapon always rests with the RAAF pilot.
IS fighters are known to take advantage of rules of engagement by hiding among or posing as civilians.
The Obama administration has come under pressure in the US to take a more robust approach. In Australia, Jim Molan, a former Army general who led coalition operations in Iraq, tweeted in response to Dr Carter's remarks that it was "about time, only a year late".
Other analysts have also called for looser rules. Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings has said previously that any increased risk to civilians had to be balanced against the damage being done by allowing IS to continue its atrocities.