2015-03-07 The video wrap up to the Australian International Air Show published by the Australian MoD on March 1, 2015 highlights events.
At this year’s Avalon Air Show, the RAFF has officially released its transformation plan.
According to a story on the RAAF website published on February 23, 2015:
The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO, today released a strategy to transform Air Force for the future.
Releasing Plan Jericho in Melbourne ahead of tomorrow’s Australian International Airshow at Avalon, he said that the much-anticipated plan will set Air Force on a path of transformation for the future.
“In the next ten years, the Royal Australian Air Force will have one of the most advanced aircraft fleets in the world.
This will make our Air Force operations fundamentally different.
“We cannot be complacent, by thinking that simply having the next generation of aircraft technology, will create an advanced Air Force.
The E-7A Wedgetail is already in service, and the F-35A Lightning II, P-8A Poseidon and EA-18G Growler are only a few years away.
“These aircraft will bring more data and situation awareness than ever before.
We need to be able to share this information across aircraft platforms through networking, and enable good decisions without being overwhelmed by the high volumes of data.
“We need to work across Defence, to create integration with Army and Navy’s technologies to deliver the best possible options for Government from these advanced aircraft.
“We need to transform ourselves into a truly integrated, networked force that can realise the potential of this technology, and maintain our position as masters of the air domain,” Air Marshal Brown said.
Plan Jericho is not the ‘final plan’ for the future.
Plan Jericho is the first step for Air Force to meet the challenges of the future.
More work will continue in 2015, to further develop the three themes – Harness the combat potential of an integrated force; Develop an innovative and empowered workforce;andChange the way we acquire and sustain capability.
Some of the outcomes that will flow from pursuing these themes will be the creation of an air warfare centre, development of new operational concepts and tactics and a greater focus on experimentation and testing.
“We cannot ignore the need to transform the Air Force to maintain our position at the leading edge of air power.
The changes we make under Plan Jericho will allow us to maintain our ability to deliver air power for Government, when and where it is needed.”
For a RAAF video outlining the Plan Jericho approach see the following:
http://www.airforce.gov.au/plan-jericho/?RAAF-CrI57877JHUU/bo9YoJ64qWYIO7G/14Q
In addition to the Plan Jericho launch, Nigel Pittaway of Defense News highlighted these developments as well:
Other bits of news released at Avalon 2015 included:
- As the RAAF begins its transition under Plan Jericho, the Airbus KC-30A multi-role tanker transport will undergo certification of its fly-by-wire aerial refueling boom system during 2015.
- A decision is expected on the purchase of the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton during 2016.
- Long lead items for the first Boeing P-8A Poseidon are under production and the first aircraft will be delivered in 2017.
- The first Lockheed Martin F-35A joint strike fighter will arrive at the end of 2018.
The show also marked the public debut of the Royal Australian Navy’s Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, now being delivered to replace aging S-70B-2 helicopters.
It also featured a Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk, which flew directly into Avalon from Guam.
This marked the first time that a Global Hawk had landed at an Australian civil airport and the first time the UAV had visited an international air show.