Annual Report 2004-05

Outcome Four: Air Force Capabilities

The Air Force met the Government's direction for contributions to operations for the defence of Australia and promotion of its national interests. This was done primarily through deployments to the Middle East, Northern Sumatra, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste, and by supporting border control initiatives in the north of Australia. Air Force capabilities included the ability to conduct offensive and defensive counter-air operations, precision strike operations, support for combat operations, wide and focal area surveillance, maritime patrol and response, and tactical and strategic airlift. These were delivered in 2004-05 through the Air Combat Group, Combat Support Group, Surveillance and Response Group, and Air Lift Group, with the tasking of all air activities being undertaken by the Joint Air Operations Centre.

Performance Summary

The year was operationally demanding for the Air Force. Support was provided for Operations Relex II, Catalyst, Slipper, Citidel, Spire, Anode, and Sumatra Assist. The air traffic control deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations was maintained, albeit at a reduced level from August 2004. The deployment of C 130 aircraft in the Middle East Area of Operations continued throughout the year carrying large quantities of cargo, thousands of passengers and conducting aeromedical evacuations. The C-130 aircraft also made a substantial and important contribution to humanitarian activities in Sumatra following the South-East Asian tsunami, as well as the earthquake relief a few months later. The upgraded P­3 Orion aircraft have been ideally suited to the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance role in the Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf and over Iraq, flying several hundred missions since the beginning of security operations. The P-3 Orion has also flown over 1,000 missions in support of surveillance of Australia's sea approaches in Operation Relex II. The Combat Support Group have provided specialist airbase support to deployed forces in Timor Leste, the Solomon Islands, Bagdhad International Airport and the wider Middle East Area of Operations, and provided valuable humanitarian assistance in northern Sumatra.

Maintenance of the air combat capability following the planned withdrawal of the F 111 is being managed through a range of platform upgrades, and new platforms and weapons (including the ongoing upgrades to the F/A-18 and P-3 Orion and through the acquisition of airborne early warning and control, and air-to-air refuelling aircraft). All major work for the P-3 upgrade has been completed and all aircraft have been delivered.

The Directorate of Air Force Safety developed a number of strategies to enhance the integration of safety into everyday culture. In particular, Air Force introduced a strategy to assess the level of the RAAFSAFE Safety Management System maturity and Air Force's compliance with occupational health and safety legislation.