Operation CATALYST: Air Commodore Timothy Francis Owen
Rank & Name: Air Commodore Timothy Francis Owen
Air Commodore Owen joined the RAAF in March 1977 as a Pilot Officer, graduating from Officer Training School in August that year.
Following basic Air Defence training at RAAF Williamtown, Air Commodore Owen was posted to No 3 Control and Reporting Unit for air defence controller duties.
Following his attachment to No 2 Operational Conversion Unit in 1979 for Fighter Combat Instructor controller training, Air Commodore Owen was posted to No 1 Joint Communication Unit at Woomera in 1980, as a Space Systems Director. In 1984 he was posted to No 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit as a Flight Commander. He followed this tour with a three-year exchange in the United States where he was head of department and responsible for the USAF Counter Air Tactics Training Course and the Joint Battle Management Course, both conducted at Tyndall AFB in Florida. During this tour he was awarded the USAF ‘Master of Air Defence’ and held expert ratings in both the manual and automated Region Operations Centre air defence systems. Air Commodore Owen also completed the USAF AWACS conversion at Tinker AFB during his exchange tour. Following his return from the United States, Air Commodore Owen held a number unit executive positions at operational units. He completed RAAF Command and Staff College in 1990, and was posted to the Directorate of Postings - Officers as POMAN 4 following this course.
Air Commodore Owen assumed command of No 2 Control and Reporting Unit in Darwin in January 1992. After a three-year tour he was posted to the Chief of Staff – Air Defence position at 41 Wing Headquarters at Williamtown. He completed Joint Services Staff College in June 1998, and was posted to the Joint Air Plans position in Strategic Command Division. He subsequently moved to the position of Director Joint Plans in March 1999 following promotion to Group Captain. While in this position, Air Commodore Owen was responsible for the strategic level planning for ADF operations in East Timor during the INTERFET operation. Air Commodore Owen assumed command of the then newly established Surveillance and Control Group (SCG) at RAAF Williamtown in January of 2000. SCG had prime responsibility for Aerospace Surveillance and Battle Management for the ADF. In January 2002, Air Commodore Owen took up the Air Force Adviser position in London.
On return from London in Jan 2005, Air Commodore Owen assumed command of Surveillance and Response Group (SRG). SRG was formed through the merging of SCG and the RAAF’s Maritime Patrol Group (MPG). SRG has prime responsibility in the Australian Defence Force for Aerospace ISREW, Air Battle Management and Maritime air and strike operations. Air Commodore Owen was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Military Division in the 2007 Australia Day Honours List for his efforts in this field.
Air Commodore Owen was posted to the position of Director General - Strategy and Planning Air Force in Canberra on 2 August 2007. In this position he is responsible for Air Force input to Defence strategy and planning guidance, international engagement, Air Force governance, organisational performance and improvement initiatives, Air Force war fighting concepts, Air Force experimentation and Space coordination for the Australian Defence Force.
Air Commodore Owen is married to Charlotte, and they have two sons. He enjoys rugby, golf and most fitness training.