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| Heading to the
stars By Andrew Stackpool Volume 49, No. 5, April 05, 2007 |
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It comprises a seamless, rebalanced and reshaped expeditionary organisation with a new doctrine that is fully networked, including between operational and support systems. It will have new combat, support and reconnaissance/surveillance assets, an integrated command and control system and the right people with the right skills in the right place who share the same vision of the future. Operative by 2020, it will be equally effectively in high-end combat as in support of peace-keeping and domestic humanitarian assistance. CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd wanted to find out how “smaller” air forces around the world are planning for the future as well as inform them and industry about what the RAAF has planned until 2030. He emphasised his definition of what is “small”. “By smaller air force, I don’t mean creating only a small effect,” he said. “Smaller air forces of vision and sophistication, which are well-developed and practised, can pack a wallop in high-end operations. They can also sustain the softer side of air power at the peace-keeping and humanitarian end. “Smaller air forces can make a difference to their nation’s strategic weight in the world. You can be little without being little league.” The theme of CAF’s conference in Melbourne on March 19 was ‘Smaller Air Forces and the Future of Air Power’. Industry leaders, international air force and military leaders joined their Air Force and other ADF and ADO counterparts to view the dynamics of the future. AIRMSHL Shepherd opened and closed the conference. Defence Minister Brendan Nelson outlined the Government’s perspective in his keynote address. DCAF AVM John Blackburn and ACAUST AVM John Quaife spoke about the philosophies and motivators behind and the current status of the rebalancing and reshaping programs respectively. In three interlocking Australian ‘vignette’ presentations, WGCDR Richard Lennon, WGCDR Pat Cunningham and GPCAPT Anker Brodersen postulated a vision of air force operations and capabilities in the year 2020, based on the future doctrine set out in The Future Air and Space Operating Concept, which CAF launched after the conference. The vignettes focused on how Air Force will need to do things differently today to achieve the long-term changes needed in the road map. The speakers viewed the future from the perspectives of systems, personnel, intelligence and logistics. International observations came from Canada, Singapore and the UK, as Canadian Chief of the Air Staff LTGEN Steve Lucas, Singaporean Chief of Air Force BRIGGEN Ng Chee Kern and UK Chief of the Air Staff ACM Sir Glenn Torpy presented their perspectives. CAF said that the air show theme of ‘Breaking the Barriers’ provided great scope to examine today’s air power and how it could look in the future. “[I believe] smaller air forces are ready and planning to break a few barriers of their own in delivering air power in the future,” AIRMSHL Shepherd said. “Our Air Force has been involved in a wide range of operations from high-end combat through peace-keeping to disaster relief and humanitarian aid. We have demonstrated regional and global reach with weight. Each of our FEGs has been involved. “The Air Force requires the same structure to project structure as do regional and global operations and meeting our strategic needs has made us long-range, flexible and adaptable. “Air power’s future may not be radically different than today but the tools and tempo are changing. Air power must swing-role, not just between but within missions. That puts new demands on command and control,” he said. |
