Annual Report 2004-05

Outcome Four: Air Force Capabilities

Capability Performance Information

Output 4.2 Capability for Combat Support of Air Operations

The capability for combat support of air operations is provided by Combat Support Group and involves the provision of operations support necessary to support expeditionary air bases within Australia and overseas during contingencies.

	Performance Targets	Performance
	Achieve levels of preparedness directed by Chief of the Defence Force for military response options with a warning time of less than 12 months.	Achieved. Preparedness levels were achieved as demonstrated by ongoing deployments to the Middle East and short-notice deployments to Indonesia for humanitarian relief operations following the South-East Asian tsunami and later earthquake. Programs are in place to address the recent lack of collective training needed to maintain high-end combat support skills.
	Achieve a level of training that maintains core skills and professional standards in conjunction with Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group and the Defence Materiel Organisation across all operations support areas.	Partially achieved. Overseas commitments continue to place significant pressure on training programs. The training opportunities available to Air Force personnel embedded in the Corporate Services and Infrastructure Group were limited by the restructure of the groups' business practices.
	Development of doctrine, concepts and procedures for expeditionary airfield operations.	Substantially achieved. The contribution of combat support services to operational airworthiness has now been formally recognised by the implementation of annual airworthiness reviews of Airfield Support Services. There have been some advances in wing level concepts of operation and good progress has been made in restoring sound governance practices and policies.
	Provide the level of preparedness required based on a force structure of: - 2 combat support wings; - 1 expeditionary combat support wing; - 1 combat Reserve wing; - 1 air field defence wing; and - 1 health services wing.	This target was achieved. The levels of preparedness have continued to be impacted by overseas commitments. Significant progress has been made in amalgamating two combat support wings into one and placing all operational airbases under a single combat support wing. This is expected to enhance the command and control, standardisation and efficiency of these bases.