20 May 2024
A central theme of the Air and Space Power Conference, held from May 8-9 this year, was building readiness and resilience in Australia’s air and space domain.
Two panel discussions across both days of the conference unanimously agreed the key to achieving readiness and resilience in air and space power was in recognising that its people are the strongest capability of Air Force and the importance of supporting their professional development at all levels.
It’s a view strongly supported and encouraged by Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF) Ralph Clifton.
“As an Air Force, it is absolutely critical that we set up our aviators for success. Only then will we realise the potential of their greatest capability,” WOFF-AF Clifton said.
“We need to recognise that in dynamic strategic times such as these, we must actively work on the resilience framework of our greatest capability – our people. We must strive to foster, nurture and grow our aviators with good leadership.
“We need to evolve our training, develop our culture, assure our purpose, be curious and active and empower leaders at every level.
'That is key to the learning environment in bringing out the very best in our people.'
“By recognising and acknowledging the challenges we face, being proactive leaders and empowering leadership at every level, we will ensure that our aviators are ready, resourceful and critically resilient.”
During the panel discussion, Chief of Personnel for the ADF Lieutenant General Natasha Fox talked about the importance of teamwork and support for each other in building resilience.
“Success and building resilience is a bit like a marathon, so we need to appreciate that it can take time and is achieved only with the right kinds of support and encouragement,” Lieutenant General Fox said.
“It may sound contradictory to the warfare human endeavour, but it’s quite OK to be kind to each other and to help one another.
“That is key to the learning environment in bringing out the very best in our people.”
Participating in the panel discussions was Deputy Chief of Air Force Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Reynolds who believes readiness continues to be a vital element of effective air and space power for Australia.
“Readiness is critical to an effective deterrence, not only in Air Force, but across all domains. We are always on and always operating,” Air Vice-Marshal Reynolds said.
“Everything we do in the modern environment is subject to existent surveillance – it’s being judged and being measured by potential adversaries or competitors.
'The culture of a team is critically important to building resilience and readiness.'
“Accordingly, everything we do in terms of preparing our forces in the modern environment must have a deterrent effect, and we have taken great efforts to really focus our air domain force generation effects to that end.
“Key to this also are our people because without a ready, resilient and resourceful workforce we couldn’t achieve much and certainly not exercise strong deterrence.”
Working together as a team is at the core of resilience and readiness according to WOFF-AF Clifton.
“The culture of a team is critically important to building resilience and readiness,” WOFF-AF Clifton said.
“Whether it’s failure of learning, it’s always really nice to see the team take responsibility for that and build each other up.
“Where an individual might not perform as well as they hoped they had, generally it’s the team that will get around them, support and lift them up.
“I think that’s really a strength in Air Force and it makes me very proud.”
