Air power a matter of course

By WOFF Howden Farrar and WGCDR Roger McCutcheon

WHILE powered manned flight has been part of our lives for just over 100 years and shaped our Air Force for more than 80 years, how many of us fully understand the complexity with which air operations are conducted?

The Air Power Development Centre can enable you to learn more through the Advanced Air Power Course.

This exciting course is conducted over 15 weeks via the Defence Intranet with enjoyable and exciting interactive online activities.

The course will take you from the development of air power during World War I through to the present conflict in the Middle East.

Along the way it will journey through topics such as the Battle of Britain, Japanese air power in the Pacific War, Vietnam, Bosnia and Kosovo.

We will also look at the people who gave us our principles and strategies in the employment of air power, along with other interesting subjects, including the use of aircraft and the laws of armed conflict.

There is a perception among some Air Force personnel that “air power” is a dry and uninteresting subject, however this learning package will change this view.

The application of air power from World War I to the modern age is the subject of the Advanced Air Power course.

While the Air Power Development Centre administers the course, Professor John McCarthy, a noted air historian, conducts the academic instruction.

The course itself lasts for 15 weeks and has two elements; a 12- week online portion, in which students must participate in a weekly email discussion forum on various air power topics, and the last three weeks to complete a short essay.

The essay topic is essentially of your own choosing and must relate to air power. There is much that you can get out of the course.

The good news is that not only do you gain a greater insight to the evolution and employment of air power, but also the course will soon be PMKeyS reportable (we will even throw in some really good books for free).

The next course will be advertised through base information bulletins and routine orders. Nominations will be called on June 21 for any interested officers up to wing commander.

If you are interested in the evolution of air power, or evaluating the success or otherwise of an air campaign and drawing on that knowledge for use in today’s environment or the future, this is the perfect course for you.

WOFF Farrar and WGCDR McCutcheon are responsible for Air Power Education and Training at the Air Power Development Centre

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