Recrafting the Surveillance Response Group for the Extended Battlespace: An Interview with Air Commodore Heap, Commander of the SRG

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
04/13/2016

2016-04-13 By Robbin Laird

Last August, I had to chance to visit the SRG and discuss its mission, platforms and evolution with Air Commodore Westwood, and members of his team.

Air Commodore Westwood characterized SRG as a “pre-Jericho” force in the sense that the various ISR and C2 assets within the SRG were focused on collaborative ISR and C2 to provide both protection for Australia and to enable the expeditionary force to operate more effectively.

But the force was evolving with new platforms entering the force and with the evolution of the RAAF and Australian Defense Force overall in terms of shaping a more integrated force able to operate in the extended operational or battle space.

https://sldinfo.com/shaping-21st-century-collaborative-isr-and-c2-the-perspective-of-the-raafs-surveillance-and-response-group/

https://sldinfo.com/the-raafs-surveillance-and-response-group-looks-at-the-way-ahead/

The torch has been handed to the new Commander of the SRG, Air Commodore Craig Heap.

I had a chance to discuss his thinking about the way ahead for the Royal Australian Air Force’s SRG, including the coming into the force of the P-8 and Triton and their impact and roles within that further evolution of the SRG.

Air Commodore Heap became the Commander of the SRG as of December 2015.

He has a long history in working Maritime ISR and Response operations in a variety of operational settings, including an appointment as the Joint Task Force 633 Air Component Commander in the Middle East in 2010, and command of the multi-national Air Task Group during the search for the missing Malaysian airliner, MH370.

In our discussion, he argued that the aperture needed to be opened on what SRG is doing, including evolving the SRG contribution to ADF and coalition partners.

“When we talk traditionally about the SRG mission, we talk about surveillance, battle space management and maritime warfighting.

That is now too limited given the potential of the capabilities we have, and are acquiring.

We need to broaden the mission into wider intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, battlespace control and strike roles, across multiple domains, which is where we are evolving along with the parallel evolution of the RAAF and the ADF.

The mission statement needs to focus not only on classical air battlespace management, but control of the battlespace.”

This comment fits in well with several of the other interviewees I have had with the Australian forces which really are concerned with how the ground, air and maritime components can co-evolve and shape a 21st century concepts of operations.

The graph below captures the sense of how the ISR, strike and C2 elements are being recast as the RAAF pursues Plan Jericho.

The Extended Battlespace

This affects very much as well how the RAAF thinks about any new platforms it adds to the force as well.

As the COS of the RAAF Air Marshal Leo Davies put it:

“It is like a jig saw puzzle.

You have these really nice pieces to the puzzle sitting in the container, but until you begin to look at the picture your trying to create through the overall puzzle, you do not know which bit goes where…..

How would you operate the air warfare destroyer differently as you add a Wedgetail, a P-8, a Triton or an F-35 to its operational environment?

And conversely, how could the changes in how the destroyer would operate as you evolve systems on it, affect how you operate or modernize the other pieces of the evolving puzzle?”

It is in this manner which Air Commodore Heap discussed the P-8 and Triton coming to the force, rather than seeing them as simply a replacement for the P-3.

Obviously, the P-8 can be considered a replacement in terms of the core mission performed by the P-3, but with the evolving approach towards “integratability,” to use Air Marshal Davies’ term, Heap is focused on how the new platforms can drive further change in how the entire SRG operates and shapes the further evolution of the RAAF, and beyond that to the entire ADF.

In the 2012 video below, Heap explained, after a flight onboard a P-8 being tested in Australia in doing ASW prosecutions, how he saw the platform and its evolving role.

Air Commodore Heap sees the platform as evolving in the integrated battlespace and underscored that how Australia was acquiring the platform was central to how it could co-evolve with other key assets.

“With FMS, you are buying a car off of the showroom floor.

We did not do that here; we are partners in the program, which allows us to become de facto shareholders in the program itself.

We are a cooperative development partner.

This puts the RAAF at the ongoing development table for the life of the program, to enable us to influence the capabilities of the platform as it evolves, ensuring that we can get an evolved platform that meets our needs.

For example, we needed the aircraft to perform a search and rescue function, something the USN did not have as a core role; they rely on the USCG.

But we needed a specialist payload to do this, and courtesy of the cooperative program, the USN has agreed to have an interim capability, followed by a fully developed deployable SAR payload built into the program as a priority. The USN as a our partner is also interested in using the kit on occasions when long distance maritime search is required.

The USN and your embedded RAAF instructors are currently flying Increment 1 but will Increment 2 will be the version that we will get with the first aircraft. We will initially get a mix of Increment 1 and 2 aircraft, but will be spirally upgraded to an all increment 2, then 3 fleet in lockstep with the USN.

We are deeply involved with the USN as well in designing and working Increment 3.

It is important to understand that what we are talking about is the actual evolution of the platform, and wider weapon system over time, which from our point of view needs to work with Wedgetail, F-35, Growler, Triton, the Air Warfare Destoyer, Special Forces and other core warfighting assets in the battlespace.”

He then went on to make a key point that with the USN is working very hard to integrate its core air assets, the Super Hornet, the F-35, the Growlers, the P-8s and the Triton UAVs, to work together that this would provide an important leg up on the kind of integration the ADF was looking for across the battlespace.

And of course, the SRG flies and operates systems which in the U.S. would be operated by either the USMC or USAF, so this drives the RAAF need to broaden the aperture on integration beyond what classically the USN would do, but there clearly are currently USN leaders who are thinking along the lines of the RAAF leadership, such as Air Commodore Heap articulated in the interview.

He clearly was looking forward to adding the Triton to the fleet whereby the Remotely Piloted Aircraft could do wide area surveillance as an asset which could allow for better use of manned assets, or to support the initial assessment of HADR scenarios, or low intensity operations.

“What that means for our highly capable Naval surface forces is that before, where they could have an effect based principally on their organic means, which was limited by the range of their sensors and weapon systems, they now can have an effect at much greater distance, courtesy of support from a suite of state of the art RAAF assets in terms of integrated ISR, strike and C2.

As the lead for the Jericho Maritime warfighting program, we will leverage off the key Jericho tenets of maximizing combat effectiveness, facilitating innovation at the lowest level and speeding up and simplifying acquisition.

And then the question will become where is the best place to do the operational C2 in the battlespace, which will vary by mission to be on the ground, at sea or in the air, critically with full, degraded or denied enabling space capabilities such as SATCOM and GPS.

That is where we want to go with the evolving SRG,.”

Northrop Grummand built US Navy MQ-4C Triton soars over countryside.
Northrop Grumman built US Navy MQ-4C Triton soars over countryside.

Air Commodore Heap added: “My concept is to seek, acquire and potentially employ decisive, highly protected asymmetric effects across the spectrum of warfare though our people’s, and industry’s great ideas.

We need to have open system architectures with the flexibility to spirally add capabilities at speed, not be hamstrung by a 5 year acquisition cycle. If ISIS has an acquisition cycle, and I believe it does, it certainly isn’t as limited as our previous processes.

Our new FPR capability acquisition processes and Defence structure is designed to correct this issue.

The new Joint Air Battle Management system announced in the recent Defence White Paper will be sourced using this principle, so in 2025 when a developing technology becomes mature, it can swiftly be acquired almost immediately fielded on operations if required.”

And shaping a more effective sovereign integrated force was important for Australia, for its own national defense and to become a more capable ally for its partners.

“We are small but we want to be capable of being a little Tasmanian Devil that you don’t want to play with because if you come at us, were going to give you a seriously hard time that will probably not be worth the effort; deterrence in its purest form.”

The slideshow above shows Air Commodore Heap at various stages of his career and the photos are credited to the Australian Ministry of Defense.

In the first photo, outgoing Commander Surveillance and Response Group (CDR SRG), Air Commodore (AIRCDRE) Chris Westwood (left) and incoming CDR SRG, AIRCDRE Craig Heap.

In the second photo, then Officer Commanding No 92 Wing RAAF, Group Captain Craig Heap (left) speaks with Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) pilot Captain Jinyong Lee and RAAF Air Commodore Gavin Turnbull upon the arrival of a ROKN P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia.

In the third photo, Four RAAF AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and HMAS Success along with four Chinese ships, Xue Long, Kuulunshan, Haikon and Qiandaohu are involved in the search for the missing Malaysian aircraft. A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-3K2 Orion aircraft, a United States (US) Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Ilyushin IL-76 and two Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) P-3C Orion aircraft form the international military contribution along with the P-3C Orion and C-130H Hercules from the Republic of Korea.

In the fourth photo, on the hardstand in front of the US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft and a No. 2 Squadron (2 SQN) E-7 Wedgetail is Commander Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (SRG) then Air Commodore Chris Westwood (fourth from right), then Officer Commanding No. 92 Wing Group Captain Craig Heap (fifth from left), and Commanding Officer 2 SQN Wing Commander Paul Carpenter and 2 SQN aircrew.

In the fifth photo, incoming Officer Commanding (OC) No. 92 Wing, Group Captain David Hombsch (left) farewells the outgoing OC, Air Commodore Craig Heap on the No. 92 Wing flight line.

Finally, (L-R) then Deputy Chief of the Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Gavin Davies, CSC, then Officer Commanding 92 Wing, Group Captain Craig Heap and then Commander Surveillance and Response Group, Air Commodore Stephen Osborne, CSC, listen to the welcome home speech conducted by the Chief Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Brian Power, AO, CSC.

The Biography of Air Commodore Heap:

Air Commodore Heap joined the RAAF in 1984 as a direct entry pilot. On graduation from 132 Pilots Course in June 1985, Air Commodore Heap was posted to 34 SQN as a VIP copilot for 12 months. He then completed the Aircraft Systems Course at the School of Air Navigation before posting in 1987 to 5 SQN as an Iroquois helicopter pilot.

In 1989, with the demise of the RAAF helicopter fleet, Air Commodore Heap was attached to 292 SQN for P-3C conversion and subsequently served at 11 SQN until 1993. During this time he was selected as the 92WG display pilot for the RAAF 70th Anniversary.

In 1993 Air Commodore Heap was posted to 2FTS as a Qualified Flying Instructor, after completing the Central Flying School, Flying Instructors Course. Returning to 292 SQN in 1994 as a P-3C Qualified Flying Instructor, he instructed at 292 SQN for 18 months before returning to 11 SQN as the SQN Qualified Flying Instructor. Air Commodore Heap also resumed the role of 92 WG display pilot for the RAAF 75th Anniversary Airshow calendar.

On promotion to Squadron Leader in 1996, he served as the B Flight Commander and 11 SQN Qualified Flying Instructor for three years until the end of 1998. During this posting Air Commodore Heap acted as the Detachment Commander on numerous joint and combined exercises and operations, in Australia and overseas.

In late 1998 Air Commodore Heap was posted to the Central Flying School as the A Flight Commander, in charge of the RAAF Flying Instructors Course. In 2000, Air Commodore Heap was appointed as the Chief Flying Instructor, Central Flying School. As Chief Flying Instructor he was responsible for the conduct of all flying operations within the school including; Roulette training and operations; overseeing the pure flying and instructional standards of all ADF pilots; and Qualified Flying Instructors, in addition to facilitating the RAAF Flying Supervisors Course.

In 2001, Air Commodore Heap was selected to attend the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course in Toronto, Canada. Departing for Canada in mid 2001, he was promoted to Wing Commander and on return to Australia in mid 2002 was posted to Weston Creek, Canberra as member of the Directing Staff of the new Australian Command and Staff College. For the majority of his tenure at the College Air Commodore Heap was the manager of the Joint Operations Module, instructing course members in the planning and conduct of large scale coalition operations. In 2005 he was awarded the Chief of Defence Force Commendation for his service to the Australian Command and Staff College.

Air Commodore Heap returned to 92WG for refresher on the AP-3C in January 2005 as the incumbent Commander of the AP-3C Task Group in the Middle East. For his command of this Task Group he was awarded the Vice Chief of Defence Force Commendation. On return from the Middle East in late 2005 until mid 2007 he served as the Commanding Officer of No 10 SQN.

In 2007 Air Commodore Heap was posted as the Director of Studies Air and Chief of Operations at the Australian Command and Staff College. In November 2008, Air Commodore Heap commenced duties as the Chief of Staff to the Chief of Defence Force, from which he was posted to the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies in January 2010, completing a Master of Arts (Strategy) Degree with Deakin University. From November 2010, Air Commodore Heap returned to the Middle East as the Joint Task Force 633 Air Component Commander until June 2012, for which he was awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service in the 2012 Queens Birthday Honours’ list. In October 2011 Air Commodore Heap assumed the post of Officer Commanding 92WG.

During early 2014 Air Commodore Heap deployed to Perth as the Commander of the Multi-national Air Task Group searching for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 and was subsequently awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC).

In July 2014, Air Commodore Heap assumed the post of Director General Aerospace Development on promotion to Air Commodore.

On 02 December 2015 Air Commodore Heap assumed command of Surveillance and Response Group and was simultaneously appointed the Senior Australian Defence Force Officer (SADFO) at RAAF Williamtown.

Editor’s Note: The second slideshow are of the Triton, with the first two photos credited to the US Navy and the rest to Todd Miller.

The Wedgetail, the RAAF and Shaping a Way Ahead for the Australian Defense Force: A Discussion with the Commanding Officer of the 42nd Wing

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
04/11/2016

2016-04-11 By Robbin Laird

During my visit to Australia in March 2016, I was able to follow up earlier discussions with 2nd Squadron with the new head of 42nd Wing to focus upon Wedgetail, its role in the integrated task force in the Middle East, and evolving the capability as the RAAF reached out beyond its air-to-air battle management role to expand the aperture to encompass needs in the maritime and land domains.

The RAAF through its Plan Jericho approach is expanding its thinking and approach to operations to shape a 21st century multi-domain role.

Although connectivity is a central tissue of the effort, the Jericho approach should not be reduced to the question of enhanced connectivity.

It is about operations, and the training for operations to shape an ADF more capable of engaging with a force which is modular and can be tailored to the mission.

This means that the C2 they are after is strategic in the sense of being able to make the right decision about the force package to send to engage the mission, as well as pushing the level of operational decision making down to the right level.

And the challenge is not simply to connect everything with everything to collect loads of data, but in the words of Air Commander Australia, “to get the right information, to the right people and at the right time.”

This is about information parsimony and about an ability to distribute information as appropriate and as needed.

A way to look at the way ahead from the RAAF point of view can be seen in the graphic below, which has been created by Second Line of Defense.

The Extended Battlespace

Clearly, the Wedgetail is a key asset in this effort, and has already demonstrated its ability to contribute to the RAAF’s air combat capabilities, by adding battle management to airlifting to strike in an integrated force package.

During the visit to Williamtown on March 6, 2014 to 2nd Squadron, the Squadron Commander highlighted a key aspect of the Wedgetail: it is software upgradeable.

This is a software upgradeable aircraft with a defined launch point (IOC) but no fixed end point (FOC). 

The system will always be evolving and growing as the software code gets rewritten to reflect events and demands from the squadron.

 The squadron works through its experience and shapes change orders which get sent to the procurement authorities to sort out priorities for the next round of upgrading the aircraft.

 The difference between older and such a new system was outlined by one participant in the roundtable as follows:

“We have in the same time frame bought a CRC system full up which will look pretty much like it is in 20 years; with Wedgetail it will look nothing like it does now in 20 years.”

The Commander of 42nd Wing is tasked with managing the current fleet of Wedgetails and shaping a way ahead for the capability within the extended and integrated airspace.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) general manager John Young (C) listens to Group Captain Stuart Bellingham during a press conference in Canberra, Australia, 18 March 2014. Young gave details of the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 intensified over two huge arcs of territory north and south of where the plane last made contact. Australia was leading the search on the southern corridor. The New Zealand government was sending an air force plane to Australia at the request of the Malaysian government to help with the international operation to find the plane. http://www.vosizneias.com/news/photos/view/470087295
Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) general manager John Young (C) listens to Group Captain Stuart Bellingham during a press conference in Canberra, Australia, 18 March 2014 during the search  for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370.

But to do so, requires an overall understanding of the operational evolution of the ADF and its way ahead.

Put in blunt terms, the RAAF because it is small has developed operational leaders who have a much greater diversity of experience than a larger Air Force like the USAF, which means that an AWACs officer can become stovepiped into that experience.

Whereas with the RAAF, Wedgetail experience is part of the broader evolution of the ADF and that will drive the demand side for where the RAAF will want to take its software upgrades.

The new 42nd Wing Commander has a rich and diverse background which he brings to the task.

According to Air Marshal (Retired) Geoff Brown, Group Captain Captain Stuart Bellingham, was a key officer involved in bringing the JTAC experience to the RAAF and bringing a perspective into the RAAF understanding the Army’s needs and approaches to combat, which clearly is important in shaping a way ahead for a more integrated force approach.

The Group Captain indicated that the core thing, which he focused on initially, was “joint fires and forward air control, and JTAC experiences. This got me heavily involved with the special forces and the ground forces, more generally.”

This is not really what you would hear from the typical AWACs commander in the USAF.

He then went to Iraq and was involved as an air liaison officer for the second Gulf War, 2003.

Combined Forces Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Chris Westwood briefs the Directors of the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC), (from left) Deputy Commander, Colonel David Lowthian, Captain John Alexander (Royal Canadian Air Force), Captain Charles Degilio (United States Navy - Reserve Component) and Group Captain Stuart Bellingham (RAAF). The briefing was conducted at the Combined Air Operations Centre during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor - Hickham. *** Local Caption *** Air Commodore Chris Westwood is the Combined Forces Air Component Commander, the first time an Australian has been given this role. There is also a team of about 50 RAAF members in the AOC orchestrating the air campaign. Three AP-3C Orions are directly involved in the maritime patrols during the anti-submarine warfare phase. A number of 41 Wing Air Combat Officers are stationed with the Hawaiian Regional Operations Centre conducting air battle management operations for the exercise. Approx 200 aircraft are involved including about 90 fast jets, a large number of maritime patrol aircraft and a large number of helicopters as well as command and control aeroplanes – refuellers for example. About 4000 people contribute to the air campaign and about 200 people in the AOC. 22 nations are participating in RIMPAC 2014 including Australia, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Tonga, UK and the USA. China and Brunei will also take part in RIMPAC this year, for the first time. 2014 is the largest iteration of Exercise RIMPAC ever conducted with around 25,000 personnel, 49 surface ships, six submarines and more than 200 aircraft from across the Pacific Rim.
Combined Forces Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Chris Westwood (now retired) briefs the Directors of the Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC), (from left) Deputy Commander, Colonel David Lowthian, Captain John Alexander (Royal Canadian Air Force), Captain Charles Degilio (United States Navy – Reserve Component) and Group Captain Stuart Bellingham (RAAF). The briefing was conducted at the Combined Air Operations Centre during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Wickham.  Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence

He then was involved with the Wedgetail but when the program hit substantial difficulties, he transitioned out and did another “three years in joint fires as the joint fires integration director.”

He then became Commanding Officer of 4 Squadron which put him at the heart of further evolving his command knowledge of the joint fires domain.

According to the RAAF, No. 4 Squadron is to be understood as follows:

Number 4 Squadron supports a diverse range of Australia Defence Force (ADF) capabilities and operations on a domestic and international front. 

To achieve this effectively, 4 Squadron consists of three flights, as well as maintenance / logistics sections and a small administrative team.

 The three flights are broken down into A Flight which comprises of aircrew responsible for operating the Pilatus PC9/A Forward Air Control (FAC) variant aircraft. B-Flight personnel employed as Combat Controllers integrate and control the elements of air and space power to enable precision strike and advanced military force operations. C-Flight members train students undertaking ADF Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) course as well as facilitating the continual development and assessment of current ADF JTAC qualified personnel.

 4 Squadron supports ADF and multinational operations and exercises. Combat Controller Teams (CCTs) are regularly tasked to support operations throughout the world.

 Aside from the training ADF JTACs, the unit also directly supports No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) twice a year, 76 SQN through Close Air Support (CAS) during Initial Fighter Course and all ACG frontline fighter Squadron CAS training with the provision of CCT and FAC/A

http://www.airforce.gov.au/About-us/Structure-of-the-RAAF/Air-Command/Air-Combat-Group/No.-82-Wing/No.-4-Squadron/?RAAF-KIY1qKx9otX0oDRS/4M9ZvVqsJePmMLM

Combat Controllers from B FLT 4 are currently deployed on a rotational basis in the Middle East.

 4 Squadron regularly deploys aircraft and personnel in support of Air Force and Army operations, including:

  • Pitch Black
  • High Sierra
  • Southern Frontier (US Marine Corps support)
  • Travelling Boomerang
  • Black Dagger
  • Faru Sumu
  • Red Flag
  • Sharp Dagger

During these exercises, PC9/A (F) aircraft fly FAC/A and CAS profiles, with CCT providing Terminal Control and battlefield airspace management. 4 SQN pilots utilise smoke grenades as weapons to represent high explosive ordnance used by fast jet aircraft. 

This enhances the training realism and complexity for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC).

(L-R) Commander Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Anthony Grady, No. 82 Wing Officer Commanding, Group Captain Geoffrey Harland and No. 4 Squadron Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Stuart Bellingham chat with newly promoted Combat Controllers during the remuster ceremony. Mid Caption: Members of No. 4 Squadron's B Flight were officially remustered to Air Force's newest mustering 'Combat Controller' and six promoted to Sergeant in a small ceremony at RAAF Base Williamtown on 19 October 2012. The members are the first to be officially remustered to the new category which was approved for stand up by Chief Air Force on 19 March 2012. Prior to remustering, the members were a part of the Special Tactics Project which was later absorbed into Forward Air Control Development Unit and subsequently, the new No. 4 Squadron which was reformed by the then Chief Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin on 3 July 2009.
(L-R) Then Commander Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Anthony Grady, No. 82 Wing Officer Commanding, Group Captain Geoffrey Harland and No. 4 Squadron Commanding Officer, with then Wing Commander Stuart Bellingham chat with newly promoted Combat Controllers during the remuster ceremony.  Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence

Smoke grenades are also used to assist pilots of fast jet aircraft visually acquire ground targets. Releasing smoke grenades in the vicinity of a target provides strike aircraft with an easily identifiable visual feature, assisting them to positively identify their target. 

This enhances their ability to employ weapons accurately and efficiently and is a key element of Forward Air Control.

These procedures provide training not only for the ground personnel and the strike aircraft’s crews, but also for the 4 Squadron aircrew practising in the CAS and FAC/A role. 

Local 4 Squadron operations centred around RAAF Base Williamtown mainly focus on supporting CCTs and JTACs.

Additional operations aim to train and enhance the skills, techniques and qualifications of the Pilots within 4 Squadron.

http://www.airforce.gov.au/About-us/Structure-of-the-RAAF/Air-Command/Air-Combat-Group/No.-82-Wing/No.-4-Squadron/?RAAF-KIY1qKx9otX0oDRS/4M9ZvVqsJePmMLM

So what did Group Captain Bellingham do next?

Naturally, he went to another command position where he dealt with among other things missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft somewhere over the Pacific.

He became the Director of the RAAF Air and Space Operations Center, which is part of the Joint Operations Command Headquarters.

And while there, Operation Okra or Operation Inherent Resolve was launched into the Middle East.

And that operation would become the next focal point for Bellingham as he would become the third commander of the air task force and do so in the last part of 2015.

He discussed his experience and that of the task force in a presentation to the Air Power Conference.

One of his slides was a good prelude to his next command.

“I remember one conversation in particular with my Senior INTELLO, during which he remarked upon the fact that no scriptwriter could have dreamed up the level of complexity and daily ‘excitement’ in which we found ourselves.”

He has come back to take command of 42nd Wing.

“I came back to Wedgetail after it had progressed from in your words “a troubled to a trailblazing program” and after having seen it perform in Iraq. I went for a fly a couple of times over Iraq in the E7 and what a phenomenal capability it is.

And we’re just come back from Red Flag where we sent the E-7 and crew across to Red Flag Nellis there in January.”

Question: What reactions did you have from the US and the partners to the new capabilities your brought to the operation in the Middle East?

Answer: The coalition partners bring different capabilities to the fight.

Obviously, the USAF is a key player.

When you walk into the CAOC there are 18 nations represented in the operation.

Around the table we discuss what we bring to the coalition.

The approach is based on mutual respect and making sure that we work effectively together in operations.

We’re a pretty small force, but I think we’ve done a reasonable job in supporting the coalition.

Question: That being said, what about your unique capabilities?

Answer: Wedgetail is highly valued and highly regarded within the coalition.

It is a combination of what the weapon system brings to the fight and how the crews use that weapons system and drive forward innovation.

With regard to the technology, it has a powerful combination of tools, the radar and electronic surveillance capabilities.

With regard to the training of the crews, which is evolving, we are focused on our ability to use the weapon system in a complex combat environment.

And exercises like Red Flag are important to the evolution of our training and our evolving combat approach.

Wedgetail at Red Flag 16-1. Credit Photo: Jaryd Stock
Wedgetail at Red Flag 16-1. Credit Photo: Jaryd Stock

We like to think of ourselves as coming to the fight with something different, but complimentary and fusing straight in to support the coalition.

Question: Your background is a core asset as well for the evolution of the Wedgetail as the RAAF leadership looks to evolve the aircraft along with the evolution of the Navy and the Army.

Indeed, the goal in some ways is to co-evolve the software onboard the Wedgetail with those on core Naval and Army systems, notably as new capabilities get added to the force.

How do you see the way ahead?

Answer: It is about co-evolution.

We are looking at battle management across the air, sea and land spectrums.

We are looking to expand our reach beyond the purely air battle management role into a joint role.

For example, the coming of the new amphibious ships provides a wonderful opportunity to support Army and Navy at the same time.

We are looking to work closely with them on the amphibs and later this year look to exercise with them to shape a joint approach.

As the air warfare destroyers enter the force we will be working hand and glove with them in blue water operations to support their effects equally.

It is a two-way street.

We are looking to support them; and we are looking for them to support the combined operations in the air-sea battlespace.

It’s a really good environment to be in, in the joint space right now with the capabilities that each of us are bringing and shaping how we’re going to work together.

Question: How are thinking about working with the amphibious ships?

Answer: We will provide surveillance for the amphibious force and through the process of inserting and supporting force on the ground.

Obviously the role will vary with regard to whether it is a contested environment or not, but will provide electronic support and coordinate the various are and surface assets in the area.

Our role will be to fuse everyone together and then plugging that into our ampbhious task group, which may or may not have a destroyer with them.

We will bring the whole team together and make sure that everyone as the highest possible situational awareness within the operational space.

For earlier pieces on the Wedgetail, see the following:

https://sldinfo.com/from-troubled-to-trailblazing-program-the-wedgetail-and-21st-century-combat-innovation/

https://sldinfo.com/an-update-on-red-flag-16-1-air-combat-integration-and-the-role-of-the-f-22-the-typhoon-and-wedgetail/

https://sldinfo.com/raaf-e-7a-wedgetail-longest-combat-flight-to-date/

https://sldinfo.com/the-wedgetail-as-a-trailblazing-program/

https://sldinfo.com/e-7a-wedgetails-contribution-to-op-okra/

https://sldinfo.com/the-kc-30a-and-wedgetail-the-raaf-shapes-a-way-ahead/

https://sldinfo.com/wedgetail-aircraft-achieves-final-operational-capability/

https://sldinfo.com/the-wedgetail-in-iraq-performing-high-endurance-airborne-c2/

https://sldinfo.com/e-7a-wedgetail-operating-over-iraq/

https://sldinfo.com/the-wedgetail-enters-into-service-the-aussies-build-out-their-21st-century-airpower-capabilities/

https://sldinfo.com/visiting-the-wedgetail-squadron-at-williamtown-raaf-base-australia/

https://sldinfo.com/the-aussie-wedgetail-and-air-battle-management-in-red-flag-2014/

With regard to Wedgetail in the recent Red Flag exercise, an article by Jaryd Stock, highlights comments made by the RAAF while at Nellis.

Since its very first deployment a few years ago, controlling aircraft in the search for missing Malaysian Airlines 777-200 flight number MH370, the RAAF’s E-7A Wedgetail, based at RAAFB Williamtown, is proving to be one of the most adept and quintessential Airborne Electronic Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft systems ever developed.

The work carried out by its crews from 2SQN is getting all the praise they deserve not only from Commanders from within the RAAF such as GRCAPT Gordon, but also U.S. commanders and allied partners in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO), where the SQN has a detachment with one aircraft operating in the war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

APD had the privilege to interview detachment commander for Red Flag 16-1, Squadron Leader (SQNLDR) Glenn Salmon about the Wedgetail’s and, in turn, 2SQN’s roles and their deployment from Williamtown for 16-1.

“We deployed 35 personnel out of the 410 that have deployed to Nellis AFB with that we have maintenance staff, mission support, operations staff, intelligence and aircrew. 

And these exercises benefit all of us deployed to this exercise, one of 2SQNs objectives on Red Flag is to strengthen our ties and reputation with our U.S. and UK allies – many of whom we have worked directly with on Operation Okra in the MEAO and many of whom we will end up working with whilst deployed in the future.

The exercise provides us the opportunity to display the world class level of command and control that we are becoming known for in the Middle East as well as highlighting our capabilities to coalition aircrew and leadership who may not have had the opportunity to work with us yet. We take great pride of the work we have conducted already and that is great for our reputation and we all feel it is well deserved”.

A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail carries out the first operational air-to-air refuellilng from a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft on operations above Iraq. *** Local Caption *** The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) marked a key milestone on 23 October with the first combat refuelling by a RAAF KC-30 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft using its new-technology computerised refuelling boom. The flying boom system allows for faster transfer of fuel than the hose-and-drogue system and will allow the RAAF to refuel boom-refuelling equipped aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft, the E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and the F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter. The KC-30 and E-7A operating in Iraq are serving with the Air Task Group (ATG), the RAAF’s air combat group operating within a US-led international coalition assembled to disrupt and degrade Daesh operations. The ATG comprises six RAAF F/A-18 Hornets, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and a KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft. There are up to 350 personnel deployed, at any one time, to the Middle East Region as part of, or in direct support of the ATG, which is part of Australia’s broader Defence contribution to Iraq, codenamed Operation OKRA, which includes a Special Operations Task Group and a combined Australian – New Zealand training group for the Iraqi Army.
A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail carries out the first operational air-to-air refuellilng from a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft on operations above Iraq.  Credit: Australian Defence Force

The importance of becoming a fully integrated team is second to none for the command and control units and the interoperability or knowledge and trust gained is never taken for granted. Even though there is a leap in capabilities the E-7 offers compared to the E-3 Sentry, surprisingly not all is that different between the crews and aircraft as both are working on providing as much experience for the crews from their respective units for real time missions.

SQNLDR Salmon states, “Whilst the E-3 and E-7 are generations apart in their technology, we still speak the same language and are working together to provide a common goal – that of battle-space management.

The two platform’s differing approaches to the task provide a great opportunity for us to see how somebody else tackles the same problem and in doing so, refine and validate our own procedures.”

He goes on, “Exercise Red Flag provides the most realistic simulation of what actual operations such as Operation Okra where we are operating at the moment will involve.

As our contribution in the Middle East continues, we are constantly increasing the number of our aircrew, maintainers and support staff that have operational experience.

Our USAF counterparts are in a similar situation. This means that we get an excellent melting pot of senior and junior people from both countries that can share and collaborate on their experiences from both previous exercises and more recently how we all are handling operations in the Middle East.”

SQNLDR Salmon also provides a rare insight into how personnel that serve in the RAAF feel about their own brethren, but also about their country and their fellow Aussies and how they sometimes don’t want to leave their families behind in order to serve but do it for their country and for the Australian public and the public of Australia’s allies!

“I have an immense sense of pride at what 2SQN has achieved over the past 3-4 years. The capability of the aircraft and the people that operate, support and maintain it has grown at an incredible rate. This has been borne out in our experience supporting the huge effort to search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 off the west coast of Australia and more recently our 18 month (and counting) presence in the Middle East”.

“The level of service provided by the E7 and the personnel of 2 SQN in support of these operations and our regular activities back home is second to none. I still get a great sense of enjoyment out of flying the aircraft and it is a great privilege to be involved with the unit in this our 100th anniversary year”, he added.

The demands of the job, including significant amounts of time away from home and loved ones, can be difficult for people from time to time. However, the sense of reward, accomplishment, camaraderie and the knowledge that we are making a genuine contribution to operations on behalf of Australia is what makes it all worthwhile”, SQNLDR Salmon noted.

http://aviationphotodigest.com/raaf-red-flag/

The picture of the press conference concerning the missing Malaysian airliner is credited to the following:

http://www.vosizneias.com/news/photos/view/470087295

And the slideshow shows various Wedgetail (in several of the photos ) with the KC-30A in various locations and is credited to the Australian Ministry of Defence.

From Deployments to the Baltic Region to Empowering the Kill Web in Defense of the Homeland: UK Evolution?

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
04/09/2016

2016-04-09 By Robbin Laird

In a recent UK MoD announcement concerning the UK role in Baltic defense, it was announced that RAF Typhoons will be deployed along with the HMS Iron Duke.

This is clearly designed to operate forward an to provide for NATO defense in the Baltic region.

As the F-35 comes to the force aboard the new HMS Queen Elizabeth, a future deployment to the Baltic region will actually provide for an integrated force which could form a key element for both homeland defense for the United Kingdom as well as providing core combat capabilities within an overall kill web.

Such a kill web would be empowered by a force at sea which can reach back and forward to air assets deployed throughout the region.

With the Russians deploying tactical weapons – notably cruise missiles – with reach deep into what the UK would consider strategic space, the need to deter, and defeat such threats will be increasingly important.

With the Eurofighters flying both from the UK over the North Sea, and forward deployed, and with the F-35Bs deployed off of the Queen Elizabeth, such an integrated force can be built as part of both homeland defense and an extended kill web extending into Northern Europe.

And such integration can lay the foundation for the further modernization of the UK surface fleet, as the new destroyers can deploy combat systems, which can co-evolve with those of the F-35.

Rather than thinking of the kill chain, the kill web is about engagement forces in an area of interest which can operate throughout the distributed battlespace and defeat an adversary throughout the kill area.

The sensor-shooter relationship is within the distributed battlespace and not attributed to the strike platform itself.

The idea of shift from a linear kill chain and hub-and-spoke operations to one of an distributed force contributing to capabilities across the integrated battlespace was highlighted  by a key Australian RAAF leader:

According to Air Commodore Roberton, the CO of the Air Combat Group, the RAAF is going through a three-phase process and “we are only at the first step.

“We need to be in the position where our maritime surface combatants are able to receive the information that we’ve got airborne in the RAAF assets. Once they’ve got that, they’re going to actually be trying to be able to do something with it.

That is the second level, namely where they can integrate with the C2 and ISR flowing from our air fleet.

But we need to get to the third level, where they too can provide information and weapons for us in the air domain.

That is how you will turn a kill chain into a kill web. That’s something that we want in our fifth generation integrated force.

And in a fifth generation world, it’s less about who is the trigger shooter but actually making sure that everybody’s contributing effectively to the right decisions made as soon as possible at the lowest possible level.

And that is why I see the F-35 as an information age aircraft.

I’m less concerned about the load outs on the F-35. You can give it another ten weapon stations and you would miss the core point.

What’s actually important is how the F-35 makes other weapon providers or effect providers out there far better and shape faster reaction times.

A lot of people seem stuck in the old mindset of how many weapons we are going to stack on each aircraft.

That’s almost two generations ago.”

And in an interview last year with the Royal Navy officer leading the Queen Elizabeth effort, the potential for re-shaping the approach to building out the new destroyers from the evolution of a more integrated force was highlighted.

Question: We argue that no platform fights alone; this is obviously true in terms of the carrier, which is both and enabled and enabling platform, notably with regard to its carrier air wing.

What is some of the thinking in the RN about the potential evolutions?

Artists impressions of the ship's flight deck released before construction was underway Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2972278/Britain-s-new-aircraft-carrier-HMS-Queen-Elizabeth-sighted-River-Forth-6billion-fitting-Royal-Navy-s-biggest-ship-continues.html#ixzz3TEf33UPi Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Artists impressions of the ship’s flight deck released before construction was underway. Credit: Daily Mail

Alcock:  As I said earlier, we have not been defined by the carrier in our Navy and some of the newer assets will be rethought with the introduction of the carrier.

With the advent of the carrier we will need to re think doctrine, tactics and training.

There will be much work between elements of the CAG specifically interaction with Merlin Crows Nest and F35B but also our T45 destroyers will work extremely closely with F35B and be a great enabler in tactical development. 

We need to explore the boundaries of what we can do as we leverage the carrier with regard to our other force assets, Navy, Army and Air Force.

The good thing is that a lot of people involved in the process have open minds about thinking through the process of change.

Weaponizing the kill web in which fifth generation leverages of weapons on surface and subsurface ships as well as managing hand-offs to fourth generation platforms is a key element of the way ahead.

MBDA the key weapons designer for the RAF is already developing and in the process of completing the first weapons with the kind of two way data links enabling such a handover, namely the Meteor and Spear 3 weapons.

SPEAR-UK

Put in clear terms, although the UK carriers can be used for expeditionary purposes, they will provide key centerpieces for any extended defense of the homeland via modular integration with other allied forces.

These forces would be deployed as a a scalable kill web, where the sensor-shooter relationship among missile defense, and strike assets can operate in a distributed defense structure.

For the recent UK MoD announcement about Baltic operations, see the following:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-jets-and-warship-to-bolster-baltic-security

Royal Air Force Typhoon jets and the Royal Navy warship HMS Iron Duke will deploy to the Baltic this month as part of the UK’s commitment to eastern European allies.

Four Typhoons will take a leading role in the Baltic Air Policing mission which aims to safeguard the safety of NATO partners and wider Europe.

Based at Amari air base in Estonia, the crews will operate in a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) role.

As part of standing arrangements within NATO, members of the alliance without their own air policing assets are assisted by others which contribute on a four-month cycle.

The UK deployed Typhoon aircraft to Lithuania in spring 2014 and to Estonia between May and August 2015. They will operate alongside the Portuguese air force around the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Stock Picture: HMS Iron Duke. Credit: UK MoD
HMS Iron Duke. Credit: UK MoD

At sea, HMS Iron Duke is due to return to the Baltic region after participating in the bi-annual, multinational Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of Scotland. The Type 23 frigate is half way through a six-month deployment to northern Europe as part of a multinational NATO task group where she has taken part in exercises and operations. She is available to NATO for a range of tasks including diplomatic visits to countries in the region.

Later this year Iron Duke is due to operate in the Baltic region with up to four other Royal Navy ships, including HMS Ocean and HMS Pembroke, in the maritime exercise Baltops 16.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:

British planes protecting Baltic skies alongside our warship patrols and troops exercising, show how serious we are about the security of our eastern European partners.

With a defence budget that is increasing for the first time in six years, we can use our forces to keep Britain and our allies safe.

Editor’s Note: The kill web would be the result of the evolving offensive-defensive enterprise.

The evolution of 21st century weapon technology is breaking down the barriers between offensive and defensive systems.  Is missile defense about providing defense or is it about enabling global reach, for offense or defense? 

Likewise, the new 5th generation aircraft have been largely not understood because they are inherently multi-mission systems, which can be used for forward defense or forward offensive operations.

Indeed, an inherent characteristic of many new systems is that they are really about presence and putting a grid over an operational area, and therefore they can be used to support strike or defense within an integrated approach.  In the 20th Century, surge was built upon the notion of signaling. 

One would put in a particular combat capability – a Carrier Battle Group, Amphibious Ready Group, or Air Expeditionary Wing – to put down your marker and to warn a potential adversary that you were there and ready to be taken seriously.  If one needed to, additional forces would be sent in to escalate and build up force.

With the new multi-mission systems – 5th generation aircraft and Aegis for example – the key is presence and integration able to support strike or defense in a single operational presence capability.  Now the adversary can not be certain that you are simply putting down a marker.

This is what former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne calls the attack and defense enterprise.

The strategic thrust of integrating modern systems is to create an a grid that can operate in an area as a seamless whole, able to strike or defend simultaneously. 

This is enabled by the evolution of C5ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), and it is why Wynne has underscored for more than a decade that fifth generation aircraft are not merely replacements for existing tactical systems but a whole new approach to integrating defense and offense.

When one can add the strike and defensive systems of other players, notably missiles and sensors aboard surface ships like Aegis, then one can create the reality of what Ed Timperlake, a former fighter pilot, has described as the F-35 being able to consider Aegis as his wingman.

By shaping a C5ISR system inextricably intertwined with platforms and assets, which can honeycomb an area of operation, an attack and defense enterprise can operate to deter aggressors and adversaries or to conduct successful military operations. 

We have highlighted the shift as either “the long reach of Aegis.” or “Aegis is my wingman.”

The slideshow photos are of HMS Queen Elizabeth taken during a visit to the ship early in 2015, and among other things show the command bays which can be certainly used as a key asset in executing a kill web strategy.

One should note that the kill web is a play on the kill chain concept and suggests a significantly different way ahead from a hub spoke sequential approach.

But if some publics are more comfortable with a “softer” language then perhaps one could speak of a “resilient defense web,” or an “active defense web,” or “extended defense web” might work.

The US at a Turning Point: The 2016 Election is About Reshaping America

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
04/08/2016

2016-04-08

Editor’s Note: With all the fireworks about Donald Trump, what is missed is that both Trump on the Republican side and Sanders on the Democratic side represent rejections of the current state of affairs with regard to outsourcing manufacturing from the United States.  

It is no surprise that the well-regarded editor of Manufacturing and Technology News has certainly not missed this point.

In the March 31, 2016 issue of Manufacturing News, Richard McCormack explains the Presidential election.

The Election Explained: An Angry Electorate Has Turned Dead-Set Against Free Trade and the Politicians Who Support It

The long-festering trade issue has exploded into a political firestorm in the U.S. presidential campaign, becoming the central point of debate. Making the trade issue even more potent is the fact that it has merged with far greater forces of public alienation and anger over declining incomes and a government perceived to be corrupted by corporate influence.

American voters have turned against the proponents of free trade and are expressing themselves at the ballot box, to the shock of “establishment” politicians, and economic and media “elites” who have pushed the free-trade agenda for decades.

Free-traders in the administration, Congress, trade associations, think tanks and corporate America have been slow to recognize that a “revolutionary change has taken place,” says pollster Pat Caddell. “The trade issue has become the concrete nexus issue for the American electorate,” he says. The animosity toward trade “is flowing into the issue of economic insecurity and the high anxiety of the American people.”

Record high levels of alienation and the sense that average Americans have little chance of succeeding in an economy that is rigged against them have merged together, something that has rarely occurred in American history, says Caddell.

Alienation and trade have become an “activation issue,” Caddell found in a survey of 1,950 Americans. “It is no longer, ‘I’m unhappy and can’t do anything about it,’ to, ‘We must do something.’ ”

The strong anti-trade sentiment is buoying the candidacies of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump did not invent this issue,” says Caddell. “This issue was already in movement. He had sensed it and boy did he hit a nerve.”

In the survey conduced for Americans for Limited Government, Caddell found that Republican voters are more opposed to the free-trade agenda than are Democrats.

Donald+Trump+qRkEMISULtom

When presented with the following statement that the “same political elite who have been rigging the political process in Washington are the same ones that have been rigging trade deals that hurt Americans but benefit themselves,” 76 percent of Republican voters agreed, while only 15 percent disagreed (10 percent said they don’t know). Among Democrats, 70 percent agreed, while 15 percent disagreed (15 percent didn’t know).

When combined with the 83 percent of Americans who agreed with the statement that “there are different rules for the well connected and people with money,” Caddell found himself “shocked” by how trade and alienation had merged together and are “driving a new paradigm” in American politics.

Eighty-one percent of Americans said that “political leaders are more interested in protecting their power and privilege than doing what is right for the American people.”

Alienation and concerns about national security and economic security “have all flowed into the issue of trade and has become a voting issue — a super issue,” Caddell explains. “It is not just about trade. It is being fueled by many of these other attitudes, and it is significant. When you get an issue like that, and it’s very rare that you get them, you see major changes politically.”

When asked if trade agreements signed by the United States government are more beneficial to other countries, 63 percent said yes. Only 12 percent said that trade agreements are “more of a benefit to the U.S.”

The percentage of Americans who oppose any type of free-trade deal similar to President Obama’s Trans Pacific Partnership that has been endorsed by a majority of House and Senate Republicans, is “stunning, overwhelming,” says Caddell.

By a margin of 82 to 18, Americans have turned against the free-trade agenda.

Even more “extraordinary,” says Caddell, is that 74 percent of Americans agreed with the statement that “while increasing international trade has led to cheaper goods, it doesn’t matter how cheap they are if I don’t have a good paying job.”

Only 14 percent disagreed with this statement. Seventy-two percent said it is worth protecting American jobs by raising tariffs on foreign goods “even if it harms America’s global reputation.”

When Caddell saw the answer to this question he said, “Oh my gosh, something is happening because that question would have been in the 70 percent or higher range” in the other direction in the past.

Screen Shot 2016-04-07 at 5.08.59 PM

When survey respondents were read the statement that the reason for cheap goods and especially cheap clothing was because the workers making them in Asian countries “are paid slave-like wages in harsh working conditions without any worker protections at all,” 68 percent agreed with the proposal that “we should punish those countries with tariffs on those imports, which would raise the costs of those goods until there are fair working conditions for all comparable to the United States, even though we might pay more for clothes. . . ” Only 17 percent disagreed.

“You have created a very, very powerful mindset in the American people which will dominate this campaign up and down the line,” Caddell remarks.

Caddell broke down his sample by “likely” and “unlikely” voters. He found that anti-trade and alienation issues were strongest among “likely” voters. Importantly, “the undecided will move toward the opinion of the people who are more likely to vote and have opinions,” says Caddell. “That is how public opinion works.”

The “don’t know” portion of the sample will migrate to the anti-trade attitudes of those who are up to date on the issues, creating an even greater backlash against free-trade policies and media and political elites who promote them. “The heart of this is Americans believe that the political system is as corrupt as the day is long,” says Caddell. In the 1960s, when Americans were asked if the government was working in the peoples’ best interests, 60 percent said it was. Today, that number has plummeted to 26 percent.

“When you look at these alienation questions, you will understand what has been driving this election, because these attitudes became voting attitudes somewhere in the last two or three years. It snapped.”

The Republican establishment has much to worry about.

When asked if the United States was in a state of decline, 89 percent of Republicans said yes, while only 9 percent said no. And when Americans were asked to rank issues based on importance, last among them were social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage that Republicans have traditionally used as wedge issues.

Here is how Caddell explains the changes he found in the survey:

“The angry electorate is being concretized. The issue of trade policy has moved from a minor issue in the thinking of Americans to being a central issue. In other words, it has become a voting issue. Surprisingly, the party that has been the most strongly in favor of free trade, the Republican Party, has seen its rank and file become the most consistent and strongest opponents of free trade. This is a stunning change and it explains how it has hurt all of the establishment candidates. . .

“We are at a very historic moment here because the American people are in the saddle now. We are making a terrible mistake if we focus on Donald Trump being the independent variable. The independent variable is the American people, for both parties. They have decided they want change and they are alienated. Donald Trump has been the dependent variable.

Sanders

“You are talking about the most stable political party that is hierarchically traditional in terms of whose turn it is to be president. The man [Jeb Bush] who raised $164 million, who was the brother of one president and the son of another and the overwhelming choice of most of the establishment, is gone. Every establishment candidate is gone, basically.”

Caddell says that the Republican Party should prepare for an angry backlash if the Republican establishment derails the Trump candidacy at its July convention.

With Americans already believing the establishment has rigged the system, the Republicans are “in a grave dilemma,” says Caddell.

“If you end up with a candidate who doesn’t reflect these kinds of opinions and attitudes — God help this country, because there will be something coming and it may be much more dynamic. I have always worried about this. You cannot ignore American public opinion. The American people want their sovereignty back. They want their right to control politics.

“The Declaration of Independence states that the government’s legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed. Do you think the federal government operates with the consent of the American people when three-quarters of the American people say it doesn’t?

“A few years ago, this was a pre-revolutionary moment. I’m afraid we have gone from pre-revolutionary to movement, but it’s not yet charted out. We are in the flux of a historical change.

“I will tell you this: Those who think they can reconstitute the old order and the old processes are already finding that to be difficult, and in the end it will be disastrous if they prevail to suppress rather than to reflect the feelings of a democracy.”

Democratic voters are also questioning the Party establishment’s creation of “super delegates” who will likely control the outcome of the primary race.

The super delegates represent a “rigged system,” says Caddell. “One of my complaints about the press is, how dare you compare Hillary Clinton’s [delegate] totals by including the super delegates. These are people who are unelected by the voters in these races. They should be separated. It’s going to be a greater issue in the Democratic Party. The people are saying, ” ‘we should decide.’ ”

 

Rebuilding the U.S. Merchant Marine is a Critical Challenge

Posted on | by Robbin Laird

2016-04-08 By Robbin Laird

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps operate from ships supplied at sea by the Military Sealift Command (MSC).

This Command is the crucial logistical lynch pin of the sea services, without which the United States would not have an effective maritime combat force.

But the decline of the U.S. merchant marine and the dwindling pool of mariners is a threat to the viability of supporting the Navy and Marines.

And the problem is getting worse. The demand on Military Sealift Command ships is increasing as the Navy moves towards a new concept of operations whereby their ships are operating farther apart both for global coverage and to assure the security of the fleet against 21st century threats.

A good example of this shift is what the Navy and Marine Corps refer to as the Amphibious Ready Group-Marine Expeditionary force. Historically, this force has operated by means of a “three-ship package” deployed within 200 miles of each other. But with the use of the Osprey, which has significantly greater range and speed than helicopters, these ships are now operating thousands of miles from one another on many deployments. It does not take a genius to understand that resupplying ships that are so far apart increases demand on the logistical merchant fleet.

With the approaching retirement of the current generation of mariners, experience gaps are a growing vulnerability. The significant decline in the size of the U.S.-flag merchant marine fleet engaged in international trade — at less than 80 ships currently — and the decline of trained mariners poses a significant strategic challenge for the United States, one that is rarely, if ever, discussed among policymakers.

The Merchant Sealift Command is receiving new ships, such as 12 Dry Cargo & Ammunition ships (T-AKE); 10 Expeditionary Fast Transports (T-EPF), previously known as the Joint High-Speed Vessels (JHSV); two Expeditionary Transfer Docks (T-ESD); and the Expeditionary Mobile Base (T-ESB).

The U.S. shipbuilding industry has a good track record of building ships for the merchant fleet. The latest of these ships are high-tech enterprises, designed to provide flexible, blue-water support in any ocean of the world to the fleet with significant cargo space, including ammunition support and modern logistical IT systems that can easily locate cargo anywhere on board.

However, recapitalization remains a work in progress.

There is growing pressure to develop a new tanker fleet, since the Merchant Sealift Command still operates largely on single-hull tankers. There are also funding issues associated with building supply ships to support a global carrier force.

In an interview conducted with my colleagues Ed Timperlake and Murielle Delaporte at the Merchant Sealift Command headquarters recently in Norfolk, Virginia, MSC Commander Admiral Thomas Shannon, said that “one thing I wake every morning thinking is if the President declares the need for the country to go to war, how will the logistical side of the military meet the challenge?

A major structural challenge we face is the decline of the U.S. merchant marine.”

A growing challenge is recruiting mariners from the U.S. merchant marine, Shannon added. “The Jones Act and the Maritime Security Program are important, but not enough.

We need things like more cargo preference to ensure that we have adequate U.S. merchant shipping.”

Admiral Shannon has a strong naval background.

He served in various parts of the U.S. Navy surface fleet as a consumer of merchant support, but in his words, “I always wanted to be on the other end of the probe taking oil.” As a former carrier strike group commander, he has brought to the job a deep knowledge of the needs of the customer, notably at a time of global-stretch for the Navy and Marine Corps teams. Here is how Shannon answered questions about the state of the U.S. merchant fleet:

Q: Some people consider cargo preference to be corporate welfare.

Shannon: I consider cargo preference an investment in our national security because if you put some cargo on the table, the U.S. flag will see an opportunity and they will acquire or build U.S.-flag ships. They will flag them in the United States if there’s some cargo there for them to haul.

Q: From the Merchant Sealift Command perspective, could you look at cargo preference as a proactive incentive that supports the logistical side of sea service operations?

Shannon: That is a fair way to put it. With such an approach, we can build capacity in the merchant marine and, in turn, expand the base of mariners available to us in time of need. Those mariners are critical to us because when you look at today’s MSC report, we have 61 ships in a reduced operating status. Forty-six of those are over at the Maritime Administration and 15 of them are with Military Sealift Command. They’re mostly large roll-on/roll-off vessels and dry-cargo vessels; and they’re strategically dispersed around the country with 10 to12 mariners on each ship.

When the president rings the bell, we go to the union halls and we man the ships up to whatever their manning requirement is. It’s typically about another 20 persons per vessel. So right there, 60 times 20, we need 1,200 mariners to fall in from somewhere, and where they’re going to fall in from is the U.S.-flagged merchant fleet.

The capacity of a robust U.S.-flag merchant marine and its manpower is the engine that enables us to carry our country to war when ordered.

Q: Are you reaching a critical threshold on shortfall?

Shannon: We are getting awfully close. Three decades ago, when I came into the U.S. Navy, we had around 400 ships in the merchant marine. Today that number is down to 77 in the international trade. Just a few months ago, that number was around 80. That is a drop from the beginning of 2015.

We are getting close to that magic number where we clearly will not have enough U.S.-flagged merchant ships to generate the mariners, which MSC will need to operate, notably when we mobilize. And it is not just a question of mariners. It is about the shipbuilding base and ship repair facilities being available in the United States.

And when one folds in anticipated war damage in conflict, the question of repair capabilities is clearly of central significance.

Q: When considering global conflict, the challenge will be to protect the convoys and to ensure continuous flow of support as well. What are your concerns with regard to this challenge?

Shannon: Let us take the case of our support to Iraqi Freedom. On a single day in 2003, 167 ships were under the cognizance of Military Sealift Command. They were moving cargo to support the operation in the Middle East. Because the sea was uncontested, this was relatively a walk in the park. Fast-forward to today’s Pacific, where there clearly are powers capable of contesting us at sea.

How then do we do the logistical support necessary for the operation of the sea services operating forward in a contested environment? The situation will become even more difficult as the older generation of mariners retires.

In another interview with the Skipper of the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) during the same visit to the Merchant Sealift Command, the challenges were further highlighted.

Master Mariner Jim Dolan has been in the service for 35 years, the last 15 aboard tankers. He has been a Master Mariner for around 25 years. He says that his peer group with 35 years of experience is now retiring, leaving a “shortage in the pool of skilled mariners.” There is a new generation of captains onboard the fleet, he says. They are “good captains, but without our experience. You cannot put a price on experience.”

In short, the key role of the Military Sealift Command is met by having a supply of experienced mariners and of a robust number of U.S. merchant ships to generate enough qualified mariners.

With the continuing rapid decline of the U.S. merchant fleet and of the shipbuilding base in the United States, core military capabilities are being challenged.

There really is no alternative: the logistics fleet needs substantially more funding to aid the civilian marine industry and to generate the requisite pool of talented civilian mariners that the U.S. government depends on.

Without the logistics base necessary for globally distributed operations, it will be necessary to cut back the tasks and operational reach of the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The expenditures required for land wars has challenged the future of the sea services, notably with regard to its logistical support structure.

This article first appeared in Manufacturing and Technology News, March 31, 2016.

The first slideshow provides various shots of the T-AKE ship we visited in Norfolk.

The second slideshow provides various shots of an MSC tanker at sea.

Building from Airpower Integration in the Middle East To Shape a More Integrated and Capable Australian Defence Force: The Perspective of Air Commander Australia

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
04/07/2016

2016-04-04 By Robbin Laird

Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull is the Air Commander Australia. Air Command is the operational arm of the Royal Australian Air Force.

The Commander is responsible for all operational Air Force tasks, and reports to the Chief of Air Force. The Air Commander raises trains and sustains forces for assignment to operations under the Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS). His position is similar to that of the Commander of the Air Combat Command at Langley AFB.

This means that operations flow into training, and training into operations in a never-ending combat learning cycle.

For the RAAF with its Plan Jericho approach and working to integrate its new platforms into an evolving force, and with the clear desire to be a catalyst and beneficiary of an evolving joint force structure re-design, the Air Commander is focused upon shaping more effective training for the evolving structure of the joint force.

In part, this is why the RAAF has stood up its new Air Warfare Center.

According to Australian Aviation, the stand up of the new Centre can be understood as follows:

The RAAF has formally stood up the Air Warfare Centre, a key element of its Plan Jericho transformation plan, during a ceremony at RAAF Base Edinburgh on February 25.

 Air Warfare Centre (AWC) replaces the former Aerospace Operational Support Group (or AOSG) and achieved an initial operational capability (IOC) on January 11.

“The future of the AWC is as dynamic as it is exciting. Importantly, you will have a key role to play in the transformation of the Air Force in the future,” AWC commander Air Commodore Stephen Meredith said at the ceremony.

“The RAAF AWC is a first for Air Force and is an extremely exciting opportunity not only for my staff but for the wider Australian Defence Organisation.”

Air Commander Australia, Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull, speaking at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration March 17, 2016.
Air Commander Australia, Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull, speaking at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration March 17, 2016.

The old AOSG comprised the Development and Test Wing and the Information Warfare Wing, and also had responsibility for the Woomera test range. In its place the new AWC is structured into directorates, comprising Integrated Mission Support, Capability and Logistics, Test and Evaluation, Information Warfare, Air Force Ranges, and Tactics and Training. Like AOSG, AWC’s headquarters and most of its units are based at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

“By working with the other force element groups, Army, Navy and defence industry, the AWC will allow Air Force to generate rapid, cogent and integrated capability solutions that are needed now and into the future,” Air Commander Australia Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull said at the opening.

“It will identify innovative solutions and translate those into capability by driving integrated tactics and advanced warfare across Air Command.”

The establishment of an air warfare centre was heralded by then Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Brown in his launch of Plan Jericho in February 2015.

The subsequent Plan Jericho ‘Program of Work’ document notes that: “Air Force lacks the systemic ability to generate rapid, cogent and integrated combat capability solutions in response to current and future capability gaps and bottom-up innovation opportunities.”

In response it promises that: “an Air Warfare Centre … will become the centre of innovation and thinking for integrated operations.”

Air Warfare Centre’s (AWC) full operational capability (FOC) is scheduled for 2020.

As the RAAF Chief of Staff sees the challenge of integration in 21st century conditions:

“It is like a jig saw puzzle.

You have these really nice pieces to the puzzle sitting in the container, but until you begin to look at the picture your trying to create through the overall puzzle, you do not know which bit goes where.”

For Turnbull, it is clear that the new Air Warfare Centre is a key asset in shaping a way to navigate the waters of the future.

In his presentation at the 2015 Airpower Conference, which dealt with multi-domain integration, Air Vice-Marshal Turnbull highlighted the role he saw for the AWC as a key player in helping the RAAF navigate the future with regard to effective force structure integration.

As he highlighted in his presentation, the required outcomes of the AWC was as follows:

  • Testing of current and proposed Concepts of Operation (CONOPS) against force structure and higher level defense planes;
  • Collation of lessons learned through experimentation for inclusion in strategic planning, capability development doctrine development and exercise planning; and.
  • An optimized structure promoting the exchange of ideas across the
  • ADF; interfacing with coalition partners.

Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull Presentation to Airpower Conference March 2016

The Air Vice-Marshal followed this presentation with one at the Williams Foundation which focused in many ways on the key venue through which much operational integration occurs and will evolve in the years ahead, namely sensor fused network centric warfare by which he meant how do we get the right information to the right people at the right time?

Air Vice-Marshal on the final panel at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration March 17, 2016
Air Vice-Marshal on the final panel at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration March 17, 2016

During the airpower conference, I had a chance to sit down and talk with him about his approach. This is the second time I have had the opportunity to talk with him, the first was a phone interview during my last visit to Australia in August 2015.

To be clear about the role of integrated forces seen from his perspective, this response in the last interview provides a clear focal point:

Question: Too often integration means shooting for the lowest common denominator, and combat is not a place where the lowest common denominator is where you want to go.

 Assimilation often passes for integration, but obviously you have in mind a much higher target for integration.

 How would you characterize your target goal?

 Air Vice Marshal Turnbull: Assimilation I think is a word that we don’t need to even have in our vocabulary because it’s implies vanilla and gray.

 Lethal is the world we live in and people need to keep their eye on that fact.

 We don’t play games and we’re here for a reason.

In the March 2016 interview we discussed the build out from the integrated task force in the Middle East experience and lessons being learned to shape a more effective integrated ADF.

Question: The deployment of your air task force the Middle East was the first time that you deployed a completely integrated Air Force package such a long distance to engage in coalition operations.

How significant has this been in shaping your thinking moving forward?

Answer: Very significant.

It has been a long period of growth where we have added the capabilities to be able to deploy our own forces to an area of interest for the Australian state. Prior to this, we could take key elements of an integrated force package but needed to rely on others, most often on the USAF, to deploy to an area of interest.

It wasn’t good enough that as a sovereign nation in our region, we were reliant on somebody else to actually get off our shores.

But adding our own strategic lift and tanking has created a new situation for us. The deployment to the Middle East has been proof of concept for us with regard to our ability to project power and to provide for our combat support.

The speed with which we deployed and the nature of the capabilities we deployed are a testament to the work we’ve done to learn our lessons from the past two decades into our current environment.

And now we can build upon this deployment which deployed as individual components into a task group to move forward and to learn how to integrate our force package into a true fused capability.

The focus going forward is that each of those platforms are contributing to the greater whole, particularly with regard to the central focus on how to prevail as a connected force.

Slide from Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull presentation at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration on March 17, 2016.
Slide from Air Vice-Marshal Gavin Turnbull presentation at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration on March 17, 2016.

Question: The deployment of an integrated task force to the Middle East with lift and tanking built in has clearly been a benchmark for you moving forward, but it is also about changing the culture and mindset and innovating towards the kind of joint force which is the core work in progress for 21st century force structure.

 What is your sense of the culture change challenge?

Answer: It is central.

We are doing that from the headquarters down through the force elements groups. With the Air Warfare Centre across the top, we are turning our Air Force into one that thinks integration from the start.

We need to understand our sister service capabilities from the start and will use the warfare instructors course and the AWC to integrate that understanding across our future workforce.

Question: When we visited your KC-30A test team at Edwards, one of the key points driven home by the team was how important the built-in situational awareness in the aircraft to reshaping their approach to tanking in the area of interest.

 How does this illustrate your evolving approach?

Answer: What we have given the tanker crew is what the fighter pilot experienced in the first decade of the 21st century.

We added Link 16 into the cockpit and suddenly they had situational awareness of the battlespace around them and could now work within the battlespace, rather than simply going to a tanker track and acting as a gas station in the sky waiting for the planes to come in to get gassed up.

This has meant changing the skill set for the tanker crew as well.

We need to have smart people with smart situational awareness combat skills rather than truck drivers. They now position themselves where they’re next needed.

They’re maintaining their awareness and they’re moving into the battle space, and the jets are coming off their targets and are surprised about how close the tanker is.

In fact, we’re starting to get the reverse complaint where pilots who are coming off targets don’t have time to think and reconfigure their airplane before they’re on the wing of the tanker getting some more fuel.

Question: You are undergoing the culture change for a more integrated force BEFORE you get what is called a joint strike fighter.

How does that preparation affect how the RAAF can introduce what the plane can do for the entire ADF, and not just for traditional air combat?

Answer: We are reshaping our expeditionary air force capabilities, building new infrastructure, and rethinking how to better mesh decision making at the point of attack with the enhanced situational awareness which allows those at the point of attack to make good decisions.

The F-35 clearly is about decision-making and ISR but we are not waiting for the plane to show up before we reshape our ability to use fused data and to push information to the right people at the right time in order to make the right decisions.

I’m thinking about decision making in the cockpit back to the strategic level, but teaching the JSF pilot how to operate in the decision space where he can be a decision-maker, that’s what we need to do as well to shape an ability to get better decisions at the point of attack or defense.

Air Commander Australia, Air Vice Marshal Gavin Turnbull (centre), AM, chats with other exercise participants including Lieutenant General Jon Davis (right), Deputy Commandant for Aviation, United States Marine Corps, at Exercise Jericho Dawn 2016 firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal training area, Victoria, on 18 March 2016. *** Local Caption *** The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Australian Army, with support from Northrop Grumman, have successfully conducted a firepower demonstration and a combat team quick attack demonstration at Puckapunyal Military Area as part of Exercise Jericho Dawn to display the powerful effects of integrated air and land operations. The live fire exercise allowed RAAF and Army operators, together with Defence and Industry representatives, to observe the combined air and land capabilities in two scenarios. The operators demonstrated the current capabilities, before trialling new ways to improve air-land integration, including the way that aircraft and vehicles connect and translate information through different communication networks.
Air Commander Australia, Air Vice Marshal Gavin Turnbull (centre), AM, chats with other exercise participants including Lieutenant General Jon Davis (right), Deputy Commandant for Aviation, United States Marine Corps, at Exercise Jericho Dawn 2016 firepower demonstration at Puckapunyal training area, Victoria, on 18 March 2016.

And we are focused throughout the force on how to work the shift forward to the operational level most capable of achieving the desired effect.

We have already purchased secure mobile facilities. We are growing our security forces over the next four to five years up to the required numbers. We have additional personnel that the government is allowing us to have as the JSF capability comes in.

Our combat support group is very highly focused on being expeditionary, containerized, and mobile with regards to standing up expeditionary bases.

And we are working the integration of the IT systems to allow the deployed forces to know exactly what is where and what the base capabilities are and to fuse that into our own space operation center as well.

Question: With regard to Australia in your region, you have acquired or are acquiring a number of pieces of equipment, which your neighbors are buying as well, such as KC-30A tankers, F-35s and P-8s.

How does common acquisition affect your partnerships in the region as well?

Answer: This is a work in progress but flying similar platforms does open the opportunities for more joint work as well, and we have seen this already with regard to KC-30A and P-8.

Once we start operating all of the new capabilities in the region, we will start to see a lot more collaboration.

This falls into what I call the 80/20 split; you buy a good asset that can give you 80% of what you want; what you can do working with allies and partners is share the experience and the cost to get that additional 20% of capability in collaborative framework.

Appendix: The RAAF Air Warfare Centre

The Air Warfare Centre exists within Air Command and is critical to establishing the RAAF as a modern and fully integrated combat force that can deliver air and space power effects in the information age. The AWC is supported by an integrated workforce which includes Air Force, Army, Navy, Public Service and Defence Industry personnel.

The vision of AWC is: “Excellence in Integrated Air Warfare for optimal Joint Effects”.

Its mission is to: “Deliver Integrated Air Warfighting solutions for superior combat effectiveness”.

The goals of the AWC are to provide:

  • A focal point for bottom up innovation at the tactical and operational levels
  • Coordinated and integrated tactics and procedures development across all AF platforms using live, virtual and/or constructed (LVC) environments
  • Coordination of Science and Technology (S&T) and Research and Development (R&D) effort across AF
  • Testing of current and proposed Concepts of Operation (CONOPS) against force structure and higher level Defence plans at the operational and tactical level
  • Collation of lessons learned through experimentation for inclusion in strategic planning, capability development, doctrine development, and exercise planning
  • Exchange of ideas across the ADF and the Coalition.

The AWC is comprised of the following:

  • HQ AWC – responsible for the coordination and implementation of common and integrated functions across the AWC IOT meet the AWC Mission
  • Test and Evalution Directorate – the ADF service provider to AF and Army for specialised flight T&E, aviation medicine support, aeronautical information products, stores clearance and aviation systems engineering support
  • Information Warfare Directorate – centralises the AF’s tactical information warfare elements and provides the wider RAAF with an integrated and tailorable operational support capability drawn from across the Intelligence, Electronic
  • Warfare and Information Operations domains. It enables the coherent development and management of the RAAF’s Information Warfare capabilities
  • AF Ranges Directorate – I the primary provider of Air Force Air Weapon Ranges and Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) simulation to enable the testing of war materiel and the training of AF capabilities in order to deliver more effective warfighters
  • Tactics and Training Directorate – focuses on the development of multi-discipline high end integrated tactics and training across the AF through a combination of training, education engagement and integrated exercises.

http://www.airforce.gov.au/About_us/Structure_of_the_RAAF/Air_Command/Aerospace_Operational_Support_Group/?RAAF-6wujD/tHUBRNDsmm3O+YcYlPvAth9Dmq

 

 

 

Working Air-Land Integration from the Perspective of Air Mobility Group: Air Commodore Lennon Discusses the Way Ahead

Posted on | by Robbin Laird

2016-04-07 By Robbin Laird

A key part of the dynamic of change for the evolution of the Royal Australian Air Force’s force package has been with regard to sustainable lift.

The first shift was when the C-17 entered the Air Mobility Group.

As Air Commodore Gary Martin, now the air attaché for the RAAF in Washington DC, but previously the Air Lift Commander, put it about the impact of the coming of the C-17:

I took over in late 2010 and was confronted with a set of demanding humanitarian support situations ranging from support to Tsunami relief in Japan to the earthquake in New Zealand and a fairly serious moment at Christmas Island.

We were in the process of shifting from a C-130 centric mind set to a C-17 mind set by which I mean shifting from thinking in terms of days to support an operation to hours.

The initial cultural change was on the part of the Australian Government.

Government suddenly realized that they had the speed and capacity to make an Australian flag appear anywhere in the South Pacific region within 12 hours. And then have a revisit capability within the next 24 hours or less if you’re utilizing two or more aircraft.  This was a shift from a three to four day process to one of 12 hours.

The Prime Minister realized that the Government could have an immediate effect, and they could make a decision the night before, by 3:00 pm the following day an aircraft will be on the ground, with a load of whatever was required. And then can present to the Australian public the initial results on the 6 PM news.

This was a fundamental change to National power for Australia.

This changed us at ALG from being a tactical airlift Group to strategic airlift Group. 

The next cultural change came with the KC-30A tanker, which led the Airlift Group to become the Air Mobility Group.

Here the KC-30A with its own reach and range, enabled the entire RAAF to deploy at great distances and speed, a change seen dramatically as the air task group arrived in the Middle East for the fight against Daesh.

The head of Air Mobility Group and now the Deputy Chief of Air Force in the RAAF, Air Vice-Marshal McDonald has highlighted the impact of the KC-30A as follows:

Question; On April 1, 2014, your command changed its name from Airlift Group (ALG) to Air Mobility Group (AMG). 

You have gone from the Caribou/C-130 package to now a more comprehensive mobility package of C-130Js, C-27Js, C-17s and KC-30As which clearly is the material foundation for shifting the name, but how best to understand the transition?

Air Commodore McDonald: The shift was motivated in large because of the reintroduction of Air to Air Refueling (AAR) through the KC-30A and the growing maturity of this platform. 

The shift also highlights the expansion of AMG capabilities of roles within the RAAF.

Renaming the Group signaled an important change to the focus of AMG and the way ahead. The name change also aligns us with naming conventions of both the RAF and USAF Air Mobility commands.

The current AMG Commander, Air Commodore Richard Lennon has become the head of AMG as the RAAF moves forward with Plan Jericho to look beyond the RAAF and its integration to helping shape a more effective integrated Australian Defence Force.

This is reflected in part by the dual hat which Lennon now wears as Commander of AMG and lead on air-land integration within the RAAF itself.

This means that each of the AMG assets, which have a core lift or tanking function, is being looked at in terms of how it can operate in the battlespace to shape more capability to work with the ground maneuver forces.

Last August, I interviewed Air Commodore Lennon in Canberra and we discussed the role, which he saw AMG playing in the Plan Jericho effort.

Commander Air Mobility Group, Air Commodore Richard Lennon, CSC is greeted by the Director of the Australian Antarctic Division, Dr Nick Gales, after arriving at Wilkins Aerodrome. *** Local Caption *** The Australian Antarctic Division and Royal Australian Air Force have successfully flown a joint operational mission to East Antarctica, with a C-17A Globemaster III delivering heavy lift cargo to Wilkins Aerodrome in support of the Australian Antarctic programme. The C-17A flew the 3450km, landing at Wilkins Aerodrome near Casey station on 21 November 2015 where it unloaded cargo, including a brand new Hägglunds, a dual cab vehicle that operates over snow and infrastructure building materials. The flight is one in a series of proof of concept flights being trialled by the Royal Australian Air Force and Australian Antarctic Division, with the remaining flights scheduled to take place between November 2015 and February 2016.
Commander Air Mobility Group, Air Commodore Richard Lennon, CSC is greeted by the Director of the Australian Antarctic Division, Dr Nick Gales, after arriving at Wilkins Aerodrome. Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence

There is a concerted effort to augment the ability of the RAAF to go with ground forces to support operations, rather than just take them to operations.

In part this is about technology – adding comms and ISR links – but much more broadly a change in the concepts of operations and training, about which my meetings at Richmond with the C-130J squadron provided more details.

It is also about changing the role of the lifters and tankers in terms of how they will be equipped and operate in the battlespace.

They can function as nodes, IT transit elements, C2 enablers or repositories, but more generally, the question is how to use the real estate on the tanker – both outside and inside – to expand its role in the battlespace?

With regard to the shift from transport to force insertion support, this is a RAAF and Australian Army/Special Forces joint effort.

It is about adding SATCOM, ISR, and C2 assets to RAAF C-130Js, and C-17s.

What we discussed last August has become a core priority for Lennon in his command efforts.

And this priority was discussed both in during his presentation to at the Williams Foundation seminar on new approaches to air-land integration as well as in the interview which we were able to have during the week of the Airpower Conference and the Williams Foundation.

The technology is crucial to allow for an expanded working relationship between ground and air forces, but Lennon highlighted both in his presentation and the interview, the key role which exercising, deploying and thinking through together was for the integrated force.

“A group of people who are integrated need to operate as a team. You are not replacing each other’s key task or function.

But you have to understand each and every other person’s role in that team. You have to respect it.

You have to trust each other.

You have to know how you’re going to work together.

Because if you don’t have that trust, respect, knowledge of what everybody on the team is meant to do and when they’re supposed to do it, then you won’t be effective.

You certainly won’t win the championship.

When we talk about Air-Land Integration, air force and army need to get together and, and plan how we are going to roll out these new capabilities.

Air Commodore Richard Lennon CSC, Commander Air Mobility Group lays a wreath during the Commemorative Service. *** Local Caption *** A Commemorative Service marking the 73rd Anniversary of the Battle of Bismarck Sea was held at RAAF Base Richmond on Thursday, 03 Mar 2016. The event commemorated the service of No’s 30 and 22 SQN personnel, together with the associated American Forces in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea 02 - 04 Mar 1943. The battle resulted in a victory that removed any likelihood that Japan would be able to regain the initiative in New Guinea and therefore invade Australia. Chaplain (Squadron Leader) Christine Senni welcomes guests to the Commemorative Service.
Air Commodore Richard Lennon CSC, Commander Air Mobility Group lays a wreath during the Commemorative Service. Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence

We have to deliver what the army needs, and the army needs to understand what we can deliver. And the only way you can do that is to get together on a regular basis, not on exercises, well before the exercises.

Talk.

Build confidence in each other.

Build trust in each other.

Get to know each other.

Become friends and develop that team mentality.”

During the presentation at Williams, Air Commodore Lennon went back into history to highlight key moments during World War II where airpower was able to play a decisive role in shaping the battle, including the ground battle.

At the presentation he highlighted noteworthy moments, such as the battle for New Guinea where air and ground operations were mutually supportive in the defeat of the forces of the Empire of Japan.

Lennon quote Lex McAulay and reminded the audience that “the Battle of Bismarck Sea was a battle for land forces, fought at sea, won by air.”

He argued that although the technology is changing, the approach to innovation rested on what was evident in the successes of World War II, namely cooperation among capable forces, which can operate effectively together.

He highlighted as well that maneuver forces were crucial then and are crucial today, and such maneuver forces operate most effectively when ground and air work collaboratively and innovatively together over distance and with speed.

“As an air force we do not exist for ourselves.

We operate to create an effect in the multi-domain battlespace or operating environment.”

We picked up these themes during the interview.

With regard to airlift, a key part of the effort is to deliver the ground forces to the point of interest as the “precision strike” weapon.

To do so, a core effort is to provide better situational awareness to the ground forces in transit.

Similar to what the USMC is doing for the ground combat element flying in the back of the Osprey, the Aussies are doing with regard to their C-17s, namely providing satellite communications in the back of the aircraft to support the ground forces on the way to their insertion mission.

Air Commodore Lennon at the Williams Foundation. Credit Photo: Second Line of Defense
Air Commodore Lennon at the Williams Foundation. Credit Photo: Second Line of Defense

“What I’m doing is talking to all the stakeholders in the army and, and other support groups such as communications and information organizations, to ensure that everything is working in harmony.

At the technical level we’re going out to our users and saying, well, what do you need? And they say, well, we need a long-range forward air refueling capability. Okay. Well, how about we look at using a C-130 as a flying fuel tanker?

And so now we’ve developed a forward area refueling capability using the C-130s with the Blackhawks.

We’ve tried it in exercise. It works.

And now we’re just concluding the project by ensuring that logistics and the support required to maintain that system in the field.”

Air Commodore Lennon highlighted that the challenge of getting ready for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions was a key test of being able to get ready rapidly for unexpected contingencies and operating in remote and degraded areas.

As such, it was a preparation for the more demanding situations where an active enemy was added to the mix.

“A HADR mission is essentially a no-notice activity, so it’s come as you are. It tests your readiness to the extreme and you’re operating in an environment with lack of information.

You’re going forward into an area that’s largely destroyed depending on the nature of the disaster that beset the area.

It’s a real test of your ability to respond quickly in a degraded situation. HADR is a good test of your readiness to respond.”

The RAAF AMG is working closely with Army Aviation, as there is an effort to find ways to better work together, which is often done in the same battlespace.

This is effort is unfolding as the Chief of Staff of the Australian Army is undertaking a major review of the future of Army Aviation, which certainly will be informed by the joint working efforts of the RAAF and its assets with those of the Army.

A United States Marine Corps (USMC) AV-8B Harrier aircraft from the US-led international coalition flies alongside an Australian Air Task Group KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) in the skies over Iraq. Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence.
A United States Marine Corps (USMC) AV-8B Harrier aircraft from the US-led international coalition flies alongside an Australian Air Task Group KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) in the skies over Iraq. Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence.

This was seen as well in the Jericho Dawn Exercise, which was held the day after the Williams Seminar as well. Here the RAAF working with the Australian Army compared its current system of operations with one where assets such as the Tiger could be connected in such a way as to operate more as a joint asset.

As Air Commodore Lennon put it with regard to the Tiger helicopter:

“The Tigers are a great example because the Australian specifications were set many years ago before the F-35 was approved and we really weren’t as an air force even thinking in that fifth generation space.

We were just looking at getting the aircraft as an Army platform, not one that can operate as both a force within and a contributor to the joint battlespace. It was basically procured as an army asset as opposed to a joint asset.”

In effect, what Lennon was discussing throughout was shaping a join workspace within which the Army as the ground maneuver force was thinking through and operating with the Air Force as the diverse provider of core capabilities, air superiority, strike, ISR, C2, lift and tanking, in terms of how best to work together to shape the desired effect.

And this was not a rear mirror look, but forward leaning with regard to working with Army and Navy.

An example of this was our discussion of the intersection of the new amphibious ships with the Air Force tanker.

“The KC-30A is very likely to be operating in the same area of interest as the amphibious ship.

What can the tanker provide for the ship in terms of various types of support?

We have the opportunity to think about this at the same time as we introduce the one and evolve the other.”

Shaping a more open ended look at communications links and how they could affect concepts of operations is a key part of the Plan Jericho thought process.

“The whole idea of Jericho is that the assets will work together. We’re actually discovering capabilities on radios that we didn’t know they had, such as the ability for some radios to automatically do retransmissions.

So when the aircraft is just flying along, it can be retransmitting signals from the ground.

This gives us other opportunities to use those capabilities to support ground forces after you have landed those forces.”

And the situational awareness built into the KC-30A is allowing the tanker crew to expand how they operate and think within the battlespace.

“We have the ability to broadcast and receive data with low probability of intercept communications.

We can see where each other are so we don’t need to stay in one point.

If we move, our receivers can see where we are and, and vice versa.

So we have always tried to reduce the distance that the receiver has to fly because that gives him more time on the station.

But equally, when it comes off the tanker, we want to be closer to where that asset is going.

Whether it’s on station or back to base, there’s no point in dropping them off at the wrong end of the orbit because then they’re just going to burn all the fuel flying all the way back again.

With our C2 and related capabilities we can now do this more effectively.”

There was a dramatic case of where the KC-30A moved to an aircraft in trouble over the skies of Iraq.

A USMC Hornet lost an engine, and was in danger of going down in an area where it might not be good for the pilot to land or bail out.

The KC-30A came to the Hornet and supported it as the aircraft had to fly down in a cascading pattern to get back to base.

“Link 16 can tell you where the assets are and the fuel status of the air combat force. But it cannot tell you about intentions.

The Air Task Groups KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft carries out air to air refueling of a United States Marine Corps (USMC) F/A-18 Hornet fighter/attack aircraft in the skies over Iraq. Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence
The Air Task Groups KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft carries out air to air refueling of a United States Marine Corps (USMC) F/A-18 Hornet fighter/attack aircraft in the skies over Iraq. Credit: Australian Ministry of Defence

You get that from listening to the chat.

In this case, the pilot was listening to the chat and discovered a problem.

He then flew to the problem.

The Marine Corps Hornet had lost an engine and could not stay level at the refueling speed, so they set up a descent pattern to work the problem.

They could not do that until they were outside of the core combat area.

They set up what is called a toboggan where you just slow the descent so the Hornet could keep up his speed to get refueled.

And of course as he transferred fuel, he got heavier which in turn made it more difficult to keep your speed up, but the tanker adjusted to the need for the Hornet.”

With regard to tanker, the RAAF is thinking about the future modifications of the KC-30A and clearly doing so from the Plan Jericho perspective.

This means not simply from an air-to-air perspective but from a joint perspective.

“We’re getting lots of ideas obviously from all quarters.

And it’s not just army in terms of Air-Land Integration.

It’s from air force itself and, and it’s from different quarters of the organization.

In that process we’ll start to prioritize what we need.

The number one priority might actually take three years and a lot of money to implement but we will look for low-hanging fruit as well which can be implemented and funded in a much shorter period of time as well.”

Air Commodore Lennon highlighted an important development, which Airbus was working on for the tanker.

“They are working hard on building an autonomous boom where the boom will actually work out where the receptacle is and fly itself into contact.

This will ease the workload for the tanker crew, and provide significant capabilities to fuel new assets coming to the tanker, such as UAVs. It would be an important step forward.

If you have a good reliable autonomous system, then the boom operator is not tiring as quickly and so you can stay on station longer and enhance your persistence in the battle space.”

Editor’s Note: In the slideshow above, the KC-30A is seen refueling a variety of aircraft as the types of aircraft which can be tanked by it have rapidly expanded over the past few months. 

A New Special Report: The F-35 Arrives into the Combat Fleet

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
04/06/2016

2016-04-06  This report provides an update of the roll out of the F-35 as of March 31, 2016.

The report is based on interviews with pilots, maintainers, testers and industrialists involved with the program.

The F-35 is not a future program; it is here now.

The Marines already have their initial aircraft, the USAF is about to declare their first squadron ready for combat and the US Navy will follow next year. Several partners in the program are flying and maintaining their initial aircraft at places like Luke AFB or Beaufort Marine Corps station.

And those same allies, have built or are building infrastructure in their countries for the roll out of the F-35 in their countries, as well as to support those of allies which will operate when appropriate off of their national airbases.

According to the F-35 Joint Program Officer, there are currently more than 250 F-35 pilots and 2,400 aircraft maintainers from six nations already trained and more than 110 jets are jointly under construction at the Fort Worth and Cameri production facilities.

Screen Shot 2016-04-06 at 3.00.44 PM

F-35s are flying at eight operating locations: Edwards Air Force Base, California, Eglin AFB, Florida, Hill AFB, Utah, Luke AFB, Arizona, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, MCAS Yuma, Arizona, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and Nellis AFB, Nevada. Jets are also flown at two F-35 depot locations at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, and the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill AFB, Utah.

And we learned at Edwards AFB in meetings with maintainers, that more than 150 F-35s are already feeding data into the F-35 digital data base, as part of shaping the way ahead for the maintenance of the fleet.

The F-35 is a “flying combat system” rather than a classic tactical fighter.

It is capable of fighting across the range of military operations and can do so rapidly in a multi-tasking mode.

That is, the impact of using F-35s is that one can deploy a force with a lighter logistical footprint, with greater coalition combat capabilities and operate across the ROMO (Range of Military Operations).

As a fleet, the F-35 is an integrated fleet able to share data over great distances via the its wave based communications systems.

And it comes as Western forces are augmenting their ability to network forces and to prepare for the next generation of weapons, and learning how to off board weapons, that is one platform identifying targets and guiding a weapon launched from another platform to the target.

The F-35 is the first software upgradeable tactical jet ever built; and the evolution of the software will be determined by the operational experiences of the air combat force.

But the F-35 is not a replacement aircraft; and it will operate with selective legacy aircraft in shaping concepts of operations innovations; but legacy assets will be modernized with regard to the shift in fifth generation warfighting fostered by the introduction of the F-35 global fleet.

Although not a replacement aircraft, there are significant improvements in the design of the aircraft which make it more affordable and viable going forward, including the intersecting R and D into the fusion cockpit as well as the fact that the F-35 is the first 8,000 combat hour operational tactical aircraft ever built.

The F-35 is also the first generation of shaping a globally sustainable tactical aircraft whereby global sourcing and support will be available.

This means that one nation’s F-35s can be maintained at the point of attack with other nation’s support structures.

This means that the sustainability of a nation’s force at an expeditionary point of attack can be supported by the global enterprise.

The F-35 is a foundational element in the reshaping of 21st century warfighting approaches whereby the ability of a coalition force to operate in the expanded battlespace is crucial for mission success.

The F-35 fusion engine has built into a range of integrated capabilities, which allows to operate in combat areas where legacy jets simply can not unless they are aided by a range of specialized aircraft, such as a jamming assets.

In effect, the introduction of the F-35 shapes a two fold dynamic.

First, co-modernization with other air combat assets or highlighting which modernizations in legacy systems are worth the effort and second, shaping dynamic combat learning with the F-35 as the learning aircraft at the center of the effort.

Put bluntly: If you are not in the F-35 learning curve you are staying in the past three decades of warfare.

Several of the aspects introduced here are discussed in more detail by those who are actually using the aircraft and evolving the systems onboard the aircraft.

We are drawing largely upon visits and interviews over the past six months in this report but the website has several years of coverage which can be referenced by our readers.

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