|
|
|
|
 |
 |
| |
||||||||
| Welcome to the
future By Andrew Stackpool Volume 49, No. 1, February 8, 2007 |
||||||||
AIR Force in the 21st century is at the forefront of exciting changes in the way it is addressing its future challenges, and while we all have a role to play in moving ahead, it is the young officers who are charged with the responsibility to take ownership of these changes and carry them on. CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd challenged them to seize the future when he presented new Southern Cross brevets to fighter controllers and air defence officers and welcomed them into the new Air Combat Officer (ACO) category at a special parade at RAAF Base Williamtown on December 11. More than 100 of Air Force’s 160-strong fighter controller and air defence officer contingent attended – the largest gathering of the group ever held. The ACO category comprises current navigators, airborne electronics officers and air defence and fighter control officers. Its inception follows a March 2005 review of aircrew categories and their role in delivering air combat capability, and a concurrent review of the broader Air Force personnel strategy, which highlighted significant commonality between future officer operators of the Multi Mission Aircraft, AEW&C and maritime UAV, and the air defence ground environment. The studies found that the future concept of operations for network-centric warfare (NCW) will require a person with broader skills and experience than that needed today. The result is the creation of the new ACO category, which combines the skill sets of those existing categories. ACOs and pilots will make up the battlespace command and control teams, which will be responsible for the direct application of air power, regardless of where the operator is physically located. From an operator on the ground in Australia relaying real-time data to an operator overseas in an AP-3C, NCW will link the ACOs for the execution of the overall mission. “The paradigm of getting in an aircraft and going to deliver combat power to the enemy while being in the aircraft has changed,” AIRMSHL Shepherd told the parade. “Right now, at a USAF airfield in the continental US, airmen are flying Predator UAVs in the Middle East, delivering combat air power. Those people aren’t in aircraft, but they are directly involved in the real-time command and control and employment of air and space combat power in the three-dimensional battle space.” CAF said it was an important day in the history of Air Force. He said many such parades had been held during our “85 wonderful years of service”, with many awardings of brevets and qualifications. Some of these, such as air gunners and wireless operators, have now passed into history. “We are now entering a new era, a wonderful new era for the Air Force,” he said. “We’re about to embark today on what is, I believe, a period requiring great organisational courage. We are a learning organisation and we need to remain one so that we can adapt to the challenges of the present and the future and grasp the opportunities they provide. “What we are doing today is a great statement of belief in our future. It is a leap of faith and we need to have organisational courage to do it. We need to have the courage of our convictions to move into the new era of Network-Centric Warfare. That is the paradigm for the future. We need to be there with it. In fact, being a small force we need to be sure we are leaders in innovative change.” CAF said the award of the new brevets marked the end of an era. It recognised the end of navigators, airborne electronic officers, fighter controllers and air defence officers, but it marked, far more importantly, the start of a new era – the Network-Centric Warfare delivery of combat air and space power. “For many of you, nothing will change yet,” he said. “There won’t be any immediate changes. The job will continue for now, and until we get the Wedgetail, until we get UAVs in the next decade and we start to change over our training curriculum at the end of 2007 with the new School of Aviation Warfare, replacing the School of Air Navigation in January 07, we will only then start to see some changes over the years to come. “For the younger members here, you are very much at the forefront of this exciting change. I charge all of you with the responsibility to take this forward. The leadership of the Air Force has decided that this is the best way to go. We are leading in this area of innovation. “It’s your Air Force, though, and you must take these missions forward. The senior leadership team will pass on, but it is your Air Force and you must develop the practices, procedures and techniques to take our idea forward and make it your own. Summing up the special occasion, CAF told the new ACOs to “Have pride in what you are about to become – an Air Combat Officer. It’s a fantastic thing. “Take pride in your job. Take pride in the brevet you’re about to be awarded. Take pride in the history that goes with brevets. It has been an airborne history to date. Once again, we now mark a new era. Take pride in the great Air Force we all serve.” CAF presented CDRSRG AIRCDRE Tim Owen and OC 41WG GPCAPT Chris Westwood with the first of the new brevets, followed by the assembled ranks. The Southern Cross brevet worn by ACOs was first introduced in 1997 as the officer non-pilot aircrew brevet, to be worn by navigators and AEOs. It was intended to replace the various half-brevets worn by those individual categories with a single brevet. It incorporates the Southern Cross in place of the initials ‘RAAF’ incorporated into a full set of wings. It is worn centrally on the left breast above any medals or decorations. What ACOs think |
