Web of power

Watch this Aerospace

By FLGOFF Paul Taylor

ONE of the major tasks of the Aerospace Centre is to increase awareness regarding the issues facing Australian air power and to encourage debate and discussion within the Air Force and the wider Defence community.

The Aerospace Centre employs a number of methods to achieve this goal. It publishes and distributes working papers researched by the staff and CAF Fellows, publishes the CAF Fellowship thesis as lithographs, gives an introductory doctrine presentation at each Air Force base every year and holds a biennial Air Power Conference.

The centre has also published AAP1000, Fundamentals of Australian Aerospace Power, the capstone doctrine for Australia’s air power.

The Aerospace Centre will soon release a new website that has a sharp new look and a layout that is easier to navigate.

The site is designed to be an online resource that deals with air power issues and to provide easy interaction between Aerospace Centre staff and the wider Defence community.

Your first stop on the new site should be the “What’s New?” page. You will find details of coming events in the air and space power world, details of seminars and conferences as well as highlights of new information available on the website.

CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston with the 2003 CAF Fellowship recipients after he presented their certificates at the Fairbairn Mess: (from left) Lieutenant Colonel Eldon Nemenzo and Major Jose Guillermo of the Philippine Air Force, and Squadron Leader David Jeffcoat and wife Leeanne. Photo by LACW Simone Liebelt

Also useful will be the information pages that provide details regarding each section of the Aerospace Centre.
These pages will list and explain the centre’s roles and describe the objective and output of each area within the centre, such as Publications, Education, Futures and the RAAF Historical Section.

The bulk of the online resource comes in the form of the centre’s papers and book catalogue. Most of the papers produced at the centre will be available on the site and can be viewed and downloaded in PDF format.

A catalogue of books available from the centre will show a picture of each cover and give a synopsis of the book’s content. Books can be ordered (at no charge for Defence members) through phone, fax or email.

For those interested in pursuing further air power education, the website will explain the details of the CAF Fellowship scheme. The scheme is an excellent path to professional development; it enables the research of an air power-related issue that is relevant to the individual and the Air Force.

The “People” page will detail the areas in which the staff of the centre work and help people to find the appropriate person to which to direct comments or inquiries.

The site, when it released in late December, will replace the existing site at www.raaf.gov.au/aerospace/

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