2016-03-18 By Robbin Laird

On March 17, 2016, in Canberra, Australia, the Williams Foundation held a seminar looking at the evolution of fifth generation enabled combat transformation which focused on new approaches to air-land integration.

And the seminar followed the two-day RAAF Airpower Conference, which addressed a broad range of airpower issues, and during the second day explicitly looked at the RAAF’s transformation approach, Plan Jericho.

Over the next few weeks, I will publish several pieces on the discussions over the three days, as well as a report for the Williams Foundation on their conference.

Next up is a look at new approaches to air-sea integration as well, and one of the major participants at the air-land integration seminar would certainly be relevant to the air-sea integration seminar, namely the USMC which is working at the seams of air-sea-land integration.

In addition, we will be publishing several interviews with the RAAF and the Royal Australian Army to provide further perspectives on the evolving transformation approach.

The former Chief of Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force, Geoff Brown, was the organizer for the event, and provided navigation throughout the day through the diverse presentations, as well as providing significant input to the final event of the day, the panel with senior leaders.

The current Chief of Staff of the RAAF, Air Marshal Leo Davies, provided an overview on the RAAF’s approach to transformation and his priority on shaping new approaches to operating with the ground forces.  It is not just about having a new fleet; it is about shaping new capabilities for the joint force, but one which is to be understood as multi-dimensional and not simply about who is supporting whom in a particular operation.

Several themes stood out from the Seminar.

The first was how significant the rethink on Army’s part really is.

The Chief of Staff clearly underscored that the land wars of the past decade are not the template for moving forward and saw the need and opportunity to shape new ways to integrate airpower with ground maneuver forces in providing for more effective capabilities in the contested battlespace.

The second was the reshaping of Army modernization to achieve the force envisaged by the Army Chief of Staff.

Brigadier General Mills, the head of Army Modernization, provided a hard hitting look at the Army and how the evolving force could shape a more distributed operational and decision making force, one which he saw as providing for 21^st century ground maneuver forces.

The third was the clear synergy between the USMC and Plan Jericho.

Lt. General Davis, Deputy Commandant of Aviation, provided a comprehensive and hard hitting presentation on how the Marine Corps was evolving under the influence of the new technologies, the Osprey and the F-35, and how the focus of the Corps was upon “equipping the 21^st century Marine,” rather than “manning the equipment.”

Davis highlighted that the Corps was working at the seams of air-land-sea integration, and described how he thought the tiltrotar revolution started with the Osprey would continue. He also provided an update on how the F-35 was fitting into the USMC’s overall approach to transformation.

He noted that the young pilots for the F-35 were already pushing the envelope on Close Air Support, and flying the F-35 into Nellis ranges through complicated red threats and being able to come out the other side and provide the maneuver force with various types of support, fires, ISR and C2.

The fourth was a clear response to industry to the Plan Jericho challenge to evolve differently in relationship to the evolution of the Australian Defense Force.

The Northrop Grumman presentation provided a clear look at the evolution of C2 capabilities in line with a transformed force; the Rockwell Collins presentation looked at how the JTAC role will change with new technologies; the L3 presentation provided a look at how commercial technologies could be leveraged to provide for the kind of cost effective and dynamic technological innovation which could support the connectivity needs for the RAAF.

And in an interview with the “Jericho Twins,” Group Captains Jake Campbell and Pete Mitchell, they underscored that indeed C2 transformation was emerging as a key thread for transformation in shaping a way ahead.

There were other threads to the discussion which we will highlight in the days to come, including, the evolution of training to build a 21^st century force, the evolution of the remotely piloted aircraft to work in an evolving battlespace, the challenge of ensuring that we get the right information to the right people at the right time, the evolution of Army force projection with the new RAAF airlift capabilities, and the future of providing for forward air control from the air in the contested battlespace.

What is clear is that the Aussies are at the cutting edge of the rethink of how to reshape an integrated 21^st century force.

2016-03-16 By Robbin Laird

The first of a two day conference on Air Power hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force featured a keynote presentation by the Minister of Defence.

This represented her first major policy statement after the release of the White Paper and associated documents.

For an American attending the conference what was clear was that the Minister has followed defense issues for a long time and has a demonstrated mastery of the issues.

This was no walking through a speech written by others, but a clear statement of how she saw the issues as part of the current government.

I have read through the White Paper documents and have written pieces providing some initial analyses.

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/australia-re-sets-its-defense-policy-the-defence-white-paper-2016-looks-beyond-the-platform-shopping-list/

Listening to the Minister certainly brought both context and emphasis to the White Paper.

One issue which jumped out was a clear statement of how the strategic environment had changed and the importance of Australia focusing its attention on modernizing defense and enhancing its capabilities to work with core allies, including its regional partners.

There was no free ride issue which one often sees with too many NATO partners.

A second issue was underscoring the importance of shaping an integrated force that was capable of flexible and agile operations, and with a high demand humanitarian work load for the Australian Defence Force, this means across the spectrum of operations.

A third issue – after emphasizing IT and networks – was a clear understanding that a modernized force may be great but without the proper infrastructure, including logistics, the modernization effort would not really have its intended effects.

It is of course not just improved ICT networks and systems and capability that will underpin our future Air Force over the next two decades.

One of the defining features of the 2016 Defence White Paper and Integrated Investment Program is the renewed focus on enabling capabilities.

In fact, 25 per cent of the Integrated Investment Program is allocated to the enabling projects, which help to bind our capabilities – whether it’s our airfields, our bases, our wharves, our ordnance facilities or our logistics systems, just to name several.

I have always felt that understanding the central role of logistics is a key discriminator between those who actually understand defense operations and those who do not.

Clearly, the Minister put herself on the side of defense professionals in her emphasis on funding the enabling factors.

http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2016/03/15/minister-for-defence-2016-royal-australian-air-force-air-power-conference-national-convention-centre-act/

2016 Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Conference – National Convention Centre, ACT

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Let me begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which we meet this morning and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and future.

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Davies, I thank you very much for the invitation to address this important event and for your kind words of introduction. I echo your welcome to all delegates to this conference. In particular, I extend a very warm welcome to the many visiting Chiefs of Air Forces and international delegations, particularly also to my Ministerial colleague, the Minister for Defence Materiel, Dan Tehan, to our important partners from industry and to our many other distinguished guests and invited speakers.

As the Chief of Air Force said, the fact that more than 1,000 delegates are gathered here today, including a significant number of international Air Force Chiefs, a contingent of United States Commanders in the Pacific, and senior Air Power representatives from around the world, does attest to the very high regard in which this conference is held. I welcome you all to our Nation’s capital.

I say in advance, before the morning unfolds too much further, that for me and for Minister Tehan, this is a Parliamentary sitting day. Not all of you have Ministers who are parts of your Parliament; some of you have Cabinets which sit separately from your Parliaments – or elected representatives. But for us, it is a case of be there in person to vote or else, as required by one’s leaders. So we will both be departing relatively soon after our speech this morning. Please don’t take that as a lack of interest, if I was choosing I promise you I would be spending a lot more time here than I would in my Parliamentary chamber today.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a very important time for the Australian Department of Defence and also the Royal Australian Air Force. Three weeks ago, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and I released the 2016 Defence White Paper. This document is supported by a fully costed Integrated Investment Program and a Defence Industry Policy Statement. The White Paper sets out the Turnbull Government’s comprehensive and responsible long term plan to ensure Australia’s national security and to create a more capable, agile and potent ADF – the RAAF is at the heart of this plan.

Australia has long seen itself as the ‘lucky country’. Our richness in natural resources, geographic location, our historical and contemporary relationships, and a well educated, innovative and productive population have allowed us to benefit from the shift in global economic power to the Indo-Pacific region. However, as the White Paper makes clear, the parallel shift in strategic power makes for a more complex and demanding strategic environment. This may, in turn, give rise to a broader range of security challenges.

With our international partners, Australia works therefore to foster a rules-based global order. If Australia is to grasp the opportunities available to us and manage the risks, the Turnbull Government recognises that the ADF, including our Air Force, must become more capable, agile and potent. Furthermore we recognise that Australia’s strong network of regional and global Defence relationships will be even more important to us in the future.

So, in the White Paper for the first time we have prioritised and funded Defence’s international engagement as a core Defence function. The RAAF already has – and it will grow – a core role in our international engagement. Through the capability plans in the White Paper, the RAAF’s alibility to project its air power further across the globe will be strengthened.

The importance, for example, of our role in our region and, in this instance, in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief has been underscored by the devastating effects of Cyclone Winston in Fiji. Our RAAF C-17s carrying supplies and Army MRH-90 helicopters were among the earliest international responders to reach the devastated islands. The ADF continues to provide invaluable support to Fiji through operation FIJI ASSIST, with HMAS Canberra currently providing essential support on deployment, while the Army’s 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment is assisting in helping the nation to rebuild its critical infrastructure.

Over the next two decades Air Force will also be equipped with new and more capable platforms to patrol and respond on Australia’s vast maritime approaches. As foreshadowed in the White Paper, I can indicate today that the Government has approved the acquisition of four additional P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance and response aircraft, bringing the total number of P-8As on order to 12. The Government is also considering the acquisition of seven MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft systems. These two platforms will replace the ageing AP-3C Orion aircraft, giving Australia a greater maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and response capacity.

The first of the Poseidons is expected to be delivered late this year and 12 aircraft will be in service by 2022. Pending government approval a further three aircraft are planned to enter service late in the 2020s and the Triton is planned to be introduced into service in 2023. While the Orion fleet has performed exceptionally on operations throughout its distinguished service, the last of these aircraft will be almost 40 years old when they retire from service.

Ladies and gentlemen, Air Force is already operating some of the sophisticated platforms that will contribute to the networked joint force the White Paper will deliver. I had the opportunity to fly aboard and see first-hand the impressive capabilities of the Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and crew, which is currently part of our contribution to the campaign against Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

Australia’s Air Task Group forms the combat element of the Turnbull Government’s contribution to the Coalition efforts targeting Daesh. This Task Group, with its Super Hornets, Hornets, Wedgetail and KC-30 tanker aircraft, is a strong combat capability. In particular, it’s the interoperability of our aircraft, including our KC-30 tanker aircraft and Wedgetail, with our coalition partners that is bringing unique capabilities to the air campaign.

The Chief of the Defence Force, Mark Binskin, has previously remarked on the positive feedback he has received regarding the impressive capability of our Wedgetail aircraft. Our KC-30s and our C-17s are at the centre of our ability for our Air Force to deploy across the globe and to work with our international partners to promote our interests. That capability will be further increased with the acquisition of a further two KC-30s, bringing the total number to seven, further increasing our ability to project our air power and sustain humanitarian, combat, and search and rescue operations.

Over the next decade, the Australian Air Force’s capability will be further strengthened with the introduction into service of the Joint Strike Fighter, the Growler Electronic Attack aircraft and armed unmanned air systems. As the development of the Joint Strike Fighter continues, the pace of testing and evaluation is increasing and I am pleased that another two Australian pilots have recently been relocated to the United States to begin their training. Australia’s JSF aircraft remain on track to arrive in Australia in 2018 with Initial Operational Capability scheduled for 2021.

To maximise the capabilities of our current and future Air Force our systems must be networked and integrated to a degree not previously achieved. Air, land and maritime forces need to exploit the high level of connectivity made possible by use of systems uniting them through the space and cyber domains. Much work has already begun in this regard under Plan Jericho, to which the Chief of Air Force referred, to ensure we have a fully networked joint future force across air, space, electromagnetic and cyber.

With its modernised inventory, Air Force will introduce and develop capabilities that will enhance its ability to work jointly with its sister Forces, in many cases before the systems they will network with enter service with Army and Navy. The work being undertaken by Air Force now in exploring the “art of the possible” and reducing risk through experimentation and trials means that the benefits of a joint force will be more rapidly realised once the networked systems committed to in the White Paper enter Army and Navy service.

As the White Paper details, Defence’s ICT systems have not necessarily kept pace with the rapid advances in technology. To address this, we are making a significant commitment to modernising and transforming Defence’s communications and information systems so that we can take advantage of the changes and improvements in technology.

The Government also acknowledges that the greater our reliance on information systems, the greater the potential risks from cyberattacks. As a result we have also provided for significant investment in cyber capabilities to safeguard government agencies and critical infrastructure against cyberattack.

It is of course not just improved ICT networks and systems and capability that will underpin our future Air Force over the next two decades. One of the defining features of the 2016 Defence White Paper and Integrated Investment Program is the renewed focus on enabling capabilities. In fact, 25 per cent of the Integrated Investment Program is allocated to the enabling projects, which help to bind our capabilities – whether it’s our airfields, our bases, our wharves, our ordnance facilities or our logistics systems, just to name several.

We have upgrades underway at a number of airfields to accommodate some of our new capabilities including RAAF Base Tindal, Williamtown and Darwin. Over the next twenty years in fact, we will spend up to $3 billion in upgrading our airfields across Australia to ensure that our next generation capabilities are properly supported. Without the attention and commitment to deliver these enabling systems, the force multiplying effect of a joint force will not be realised. I know that air forces love their technology, but without the right people, technology can’t, doesn’t become capability.

In Australia, which is a multi-cultural society with a relatively modest population and a vast territory – that vast territory is landmass alone, close in size to that of all of Europe – but with a population less than one third of that of Germany’s. So, to deliver the capabilities of the technologically advanced Future Force outlined in the White Paper, the Government has also committed to grow the uniformed Defence Force to around 62,400 people over the next decade, which will be its largest size in two decades. To attract and sustain this expanded military work force, Defence must recruit and retain its workforce from across that very diverse society; a society in which more than a quarter of all people were born overseas, and over half of which are female.

In relation to women in the Air Force, they currently make up more than 18.5 per cent of Air Force personnel, with Air Force on track to reach its target of 25 per cent female representation by 2023. A number of initiatives are in place to embrace a more inclusive culture within Defence and significant work has been done to remove barriers to the career progression and employment of women, but there are still challenges, still barriers.

Australia has never had a female fighter pilot, although I am pleased to hear that may change very soon, with one female pilot in training right now to become a fast jet pilot. The challenge, though, is to ensure that she’s not the only one, and that there is a steady stream of young women entering these programs of which they’ve not traditionally been part.

We are also addressing the under representation of Indigenous Australians and culturally diverse sections of our society in the ADF. Yesterday I was at ‘the home of the soldier’ – Kapooka, our Army recruiting base – to launch Defence Force Recruiting’s new Indigenous recruitment campaign, which was another important step towards creating an ADF that reflects the community from which it is recruited and which it is entrusted to protect. So that recruiting program – #seeyourself – displays commitment of three of four young Indigenous Australians who’ve been in the ADF for 25 – 8 – 10 years themselves across the three services and asks the viewer to ‘see yourself’ in their jobs, in their roles, and it does it in their own words. It’s a very impactful, very powerful message to young Indigenous Australians that the Australian Defence Force is a great place to be and to come and work.

Ladies and gentlemen, as I’ve mentioned already today, the resources that this workforce will have at its disposal – the aircraft, the vessels, the vehicles, the technology and the information systems will be increasingly sophisticated. The Turnbull Government recognises that a strong, innovative and competitive Australian Defence Force industry is essential.

The Defence Industry Policy Statement, released alongside the White Paper, hasn’t been far from my side over the past three weeks. This document is designed to reset the relationship between industry and Defence; to maximise industry’s innovation potential and to ensure Defence can benefit from, frankly, some amazing capabilities being developed right here in Australia.

One of the key initiatives of the Industry Policy Statement is the Centre for Defence Industry Capability, which the Prime Minister and the Minister for Industry and I announced last week, will be centred in Adelaide. It will have national reach and it will ensure that the defence industry knows what Defence’s capability priorities are and importantly, it will help Defence identify what industry can offer because the Defence-Industry relationship for us is very much a two-way street.

The Joint Strike Fighter program is one area in which we have seen Australian industry compete and access export markets already worth $500 million, which is expected to rise to more than $2 billion by 2022-23. Over the last few months I’ve been lucky enough to visit a number of impressive small-to-medium enterprises that have developed – or are in the process of developing – cutting edge technologies that provide our Australian Defence Force with unique capabilities. The Centre for Defence Industry Capability will help foster the relationship with industry to build its capacity to drive innovation and to open export markets, so that we can find and help develop the next great Australian innovators and I know there are very many of them around this country.

Capability, agility, potency; these are the attributes the Government has invested in enhancing through its balanced approach to the future development of the Australian Defence Force as outlined in the 2016 White Paper. Cutting edge, networked, and integrated technology; an expanded and empowered workforce; and an engaged industrial base are the means of its delivery. And our Air Force is very much at the centre of our high-technology, Future Force.

Air Marshal Davies, I thank you very much for inviting me to address the Air Force’s Air Power Conference. I wish you and all of the participants, presenters and delegates a very productive conference and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning.

2016-03-16 By Robbin Laird

The three Australian Service Chiefs – Air Marshal Davis (RAAF), Vice Admiral Tim Barrett (Royal Australian Navy) and Lieutenant General Angus J. Campbell, (Army) – provided a perspective on their services and the dovetailing of their efforts.

http://www.airforce.gov.au/Our_People/Our_Leaders/Chief_of_Air_Force/?RAAF-cIPygzYc/Fwxxi5dCKVD3g8SFEpfUGXS

http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/vice-admiral-tim-barrett

http://www.army.gov.au/Our-people/Leaders/Chief-of-Army

What was clear from the three presentations was the clear shared understanding each had of the central significance of the other services in achieving the outcomes desired by the ADF over all and in terms of strategic outcomes desired by the Government.

The RAAF Plan Jericho was dovetailing with similar plans of the other two services.

But there was a clear understanding that shaping convergence of networks and sharing of data to get the right information to the right person at the right time was clearly a challenge, but one central to the transformation of Australian forces.

In a discussion later in the day with Deputy Chief of the RAAF, Air Vice-Marshal Warren McDonald which will be published later, the Air Force leader underscored how farsighted Army leadership was in pushing the ADF towards more convergence on data sharing and joint operations.

He argued that the three services which focused on a core platform as a center point for shaping the convergence or in effect establishing a triangle of cross-cutting platforms/systems which could provide for a focus on the effort, namely Wedgetail or E-7 for the RAAF, the Hobart class frigate and its combat systems for the Navy, and the Army’s Battle Management Systems, including the Land Network Integration Center or LNIC for bringing together significant joint efforts.

In effect, because the RAAF was in the throes of a significant modernization and with the coming of the F-35, Plan Jericho was a lead element.

According to the RAAF chief, “Plan Jericho is designed to transform the RAAF into a fifth generation enabled force. This is not a singular airpower effort.” It is multi-domain and cross-cutting with the other services.

The Navy chief underscored that the new shipbuilding approach which was highlighted in the White Paper was about having continuous production and shaping technological refreshes throughout the life cycle of the fleet.

And doing so meant, that his fleet needed to effective connect with the other elements of the ADF force structure.

The P-8s and Wedgetails flown by air force obviously needed to be integrated into fleet operations and vice versa.

The Army Chief has an impressive and wide- ranging background and that background interacts nicely with the broad approach which he is bringing to his role as a leader for Army modernization understood in a much broader sense of providing for land operations within the multi-domain agile force which Australia is building.

Not only is shaping the right kind of C2 and ISR approach crucial, but shaping a new approach to Army Aviation is crucial as well.  The Army is indeed undertaking a major rethink about Army Aviation and its look at its place within 21^st century three-dimensional warfare.

Former Chief of the Defence Force, ACM Angus Houston, has been tasked to look at the reshaping of Army Aviation within a multi-dimensional 21^st century force.

Army aviation lies at the seams of air and ground power and the Chief is clearly concerned that its role evolve effectively in terms of how airpower is overall transforming.

He underscored the need to shape ways for the various ISR systems to work effectively together going forward as the Army added new unmanned systems, and modified manned systems and to work with Wedgetail, JSF, P-8 and other Air Force systems coming online.

He argued that we can not assume the air dominance we have had in the past decade of land wars.

He argued for the formation of small, agile units, which could depend on, or not air support, and to ensure that they could be hard to find on the battlefield when necessary.

“We need to draw upon the past, but move forward towards a very different environment in shaping the Army of the future.”

Air Marshal Davis Meeting with the Australian Press

During the first day of the conference, Air Marshal Davis sat down with the Australian press and discussed additional issues with them which also provided insights in to his thinking about the way ahead.

He started by going back to an announcement made by the Minister that the RAAF would receive additional P-8s.

He was pleased, of course, but noted that the focus would clearly have to be on how to connect the P-8 to the overall force, both Navy and Air Force, and Army as well.

It was not just about adding a platform; but ensuring that it was a multi-dimensional capability as well.

He also discussed simulation, including Live Virtual Constructive Training, and argued that the expanded ranges over which an agile force needed to operate was a challenge for Australia and its allies.

And he saw simulation as part of getting live exercises more advanced in terms of operational training by ensuring that systems worked with one another much earlier in the training process so that more effort can be placed on achieving desired outcomes from an operation.

When asked about Middle East operations, he noted that on occasion the RAAF has gone into Syria but has largely operated outside of Syria.

He noted that they had no incidences with Russian aircraft, but obviously took account of their operations, and given the reach of the Wedgetail system, the RAAF was able to operate more effectively even in Syrian airspace.

Two policy questions were raised.

The first was about statements made by PACAF that suggested there was a US interest in basing aircraft, including bombers, in Australia.

The RAAF chief dismissed these concerns as he argued that US aircraft were cycling through Australia regularly, but there were no plans to forward base US aircraft in Australia.

In should be noted that the previous PACAF, now the ACC Commander, General “Hawk” Carlisle focused on places not bases as the USAF approach in the Pacific.

While the US was clearly interested in shaping mobile and flexible deployment packages, such as Rapid Raptor with 4 F-22s and a C-17 for support, which could rotate through places like Australia, this was clearly not about permanent basing.

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/the-pacaf-commander-and-reworking-pacific-defense-the-aor-will-become-a-caoc/

http://sldinfo.wpstage.net/c-17-loaded-for-rapid-raptor-exercise/

The second was about the regional response to Chinese actions in the South China Sea.

Interestingly, the Air Marshal highlighted that the presence of the regional air bosses at the Airpower conference provided an opportunity to discuss mutual concerns and responses.

Clearly, there was an interest on Australia’s part to understand the perceptions of the various regional players and how they might respond.

But the Australian response was clear both at the government level and from the Air Marshal.

The Australian government underscores the importance of rule based behavior in the area, obviously having in mind the Chinese trying to make up their own rules.

And the Air Marshal said that the focus was ensuring that we could do for the next fifty years what we have done for the last in terms of transit and “gateway continuity.”

Editor’s Note: The biennial Air Power Conference on 15 and 16 March 2016, explores the idea of seamless joint effects.

The theme of Multi-Domain Integration – Enabling Future Joint Success explores the integration of air, sea, land, space and cyber operations to evolve to a truly joint force.

Day one focused on strategic multi-domain integration, while day two focuses on the implementation of operations through Plan Jericho.