Document created: 6 February 03
Air University Review, March-April 1977

The Royal Australian Air Force

HOW would you like to be responsible for the defense of an area the size of the contiguous 48 states with a population base less than that of the state of New York? This is the challenge facing members of the Australian Department of Defence.

Fantastically rich in mineral resources yet sparsely populated, Australia would be a tempting prize for any would-be aggressor. A thin red line of 69,000 members of the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and Australian Army is responsible for the defense of this island continent of 2,900,000 square miles as well as its 12,500 miles of coastline and surrounding waters. If the Law of the Sea Conference extends territorial limits to 200 miles, an area nearly equal to the land mass of Australia will require surveillance and potential interdiction.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bears a large share of the responsibility for Australia's defense. The defense roles of the RAAF are (1) to defend Australia, its territories, and Australian forces against air attack; (2) to maintain an air striking capability against enemy forces and installations; (3) to provide strategic and tactical reconnaissance; (4) to provide strategic military air transport support for the Australian forces; (5) to provide close offensive and tactical air transport for the Army; and (6) to provide maritime air reconnaissance and antisubmarine support in conjunction with the Royal Australian Navy. In addition, the RAAF expends considerable resources and effort on civil disaster relief and on reconnaissance for illegal fishing and smuggling.

The forerunner of the Royal Australian Air Force, known as the Australian Flying Corps, was dispatched to Mesopotamia on 8 February 1915. Other elements of the Corps saw action in Egypt and Palestine from 1916 to 1918 and on the Western Front in Force in 1917-18. Many Australians also flew with the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service, and Royal Air Force during the war.

On 31 March 1921 the Australian Air Force was formed--some twenty-five years prior to the formation of the United States Air Force! The prefix "Royal," subsequently approved by King George V, became effective on 31 August 1921. During the period from 1921 to 1939 the Royal Australian Air Force experienced budgetary, equipment, and personnel problems similar to those of the predecessors of the USAF during the same period.

The RAAF came of age as a fighting service during the Second World War. At the onset of the war in 1939, the RAAF had 310 officers, 3179 airmen, and 164 operational aircraft. At the height of the war, personnel strength had increased to 20,000 officers, 144,000 airmen, and 18,000 airwomen. During the war, members of the RAAF served in every theater of operation.

Several RAAF squadrons were involved in operations in the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Italian areas. The RAAF fought in Syria, at Malta, and supported the allied advance in North Africa, then Sicily, and finally Italy. Many members of the RAAF served in the Balkan Air Force, supporting liberation movements in Balkan countries. Others participated in the supply-dropping operations in support of the Polish uprising in August 1944.

The RAAF was well represented in the Fighter, Bomber, and Coastal Commands of the Royal Air Force. Australians in these units saw the fires of Berlin and Hamburg and the flak of Happy Valley (the Ruhr); they helped destroy railway systems, U-boat pens, and flying-bomb sites, and they took part in the struggle to prevent U-boats from cutting Britain's maritime life line. Spitfire-equipped squadrons functioned as interceptors and escorts.

RAAF involvement in the Pacific began with coastal patrols against German shipping in 1939. The RAAF became totally involved in the Pacific in 1941 when four of its squadrons that were stationed in Malaya attacked Japanese transports. The RAAF participated in the battles of the Coral Sea and the Bismarck Sea and in operations in New Guinea, the Solomons, the Admiralty Islands, the Netherlands East Indies, and the Philippines. Over a thousand members of the RAAF took part in operations in the Burma-India theater.

In the immediate postwar years the RAAF maintained a high state of readiness in spite of drastic reductions in personnel and equipment. One hundred forty-four aircraft and 12,000 men and women were authorized to man two forces: a strike force and a home defense force. Aircraft included Australian modified and built Lancasters (Lincoln) bombers; Mustangs and Vampire fighters, both largely built in Australia; Dakotas; Catalinas; Mosquitoes and a variety of training aircraft. Recognizing the critical importance of education and training, the RAAF College (later RAAF Academy) was established in Victoria, and the RAAF School of Technical Training was established in New South Wales.

Following the war, elements of the RAAF were assigned to the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Southern Japan. Transport crews participated in the Berlin Airlift. RAAF transports and bombers assisted in operations against the Communist territories in Malaya during the period 1950-58. Two RAAF squadrons played key roles in the Korean War. No. 77 Squadron, equipped with P-51 Mustang fighters, was involved in harassing operations during the early days when enemy forces attempted to gain all of South Korea. The unit then supported the drive northwards across the 38th parallel. Its pilots struck at Chinese transports pouring down the roads out of Manchuria during the long retreat south and remained in a ground attack role through the end of the war. RAAF Dakotas carried out most of the aerial supply and medical evacuation for British Commonwealth forces in Korea.

The Australian Air Force's commitment to the war in Vietnam was an integral part of the 7th Air Force. It included Canberra bombers, Iroquois helicopters, forward air controllers, and the Caribous of the "Wallaby Airlines." More than 600,000 passengers, including Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, South Vietnamese, Koreans, Thais, and North Vietnamese prisoners of war, rode aboard the Caribous. RAAF pilots flew with the United States Air Force as forward air controllers. In addition, several RAAF officers flew with USAF F-4 squadrons.

In November of 1973 the three service departments (Army, Navy, and Air) were incorporated into the Australian Department of Defence. The Chief of the Defence Force Staff (CDFS), subject to ministerial directions, commands the Australian Defence Force. Administration of the Defence Force is the joint responsibility of the CDFS and the Secretary of the Department of Defence. The CDFS is directly responsible to the Minister of Defence and is his principle military advisor. The Secretary of the Department of Defence, also responsible to the Minister of Defence, provides advice on general policy and the management and utilization of Defence resources. The Chiefs of Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force exercise command of their respective services under the CDFS. The three Service Chiefs of Staff have direct access to the Minister of Defence in relation to their professional responsibilities.

In order to facilitate communications in the scientific and logistics areas, several key officials of the Department of Defence are "two hatted," being responsible to both a senior official in the Department of Defence and to their own Service Chief of Staff.

The RAAF is organized into an Air Office, located in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (A.C.T.), and two functional commands. The two RAAF squadrons at Butterworth, Malaysia, are under the direct control of the Air Office. (See Figure 1.) The Air Force has a staff of some 533 military and 307 civilian public servants. The Air Office is responsible for doctrine and policy, similar in many ways to the USAF Air Staff, and also performs most of the functions of the USAF Systems Command in the developing of requirements and selection of major capital equipment. The mechanics of contracting for particular major items are the joint responsibility of the Department of Defence and the Purchasing Office of the Department of Administrative Services.

The two major commands are Operational Command, with its headquarters at Penrith, New South Wales, and Support Command, with its headquarters in Melbourne, Victoria. Operational Command has responsibilities similar to those of TAC, SAC, MAC, and ADC combined. Briefly, the air officer commanding Operational Command is responsible for: (1) the conduct of air operations and operational training, including definitions of standards, evolution of techniques, and preparation of plans; (2) the maintenance of lines of communication throughout Australia and its territories; (3) cooperation, control, and supervision of antibushfire patrol and other activities in support of local civil defense organizations. In addition to its Headquarters, Operational Command exercises control over all combat aircraft dispersed over seven operating and two staging bases. (See Figure 2.)

Support Command has responsibilities similar to those of the U.S. Air Force Logistics Command and Air Training Command. Its functions include: (1) the conduct of individual air and ground training; (2) recruitment of all personnel; (3) procurement and storage of bulk store holdings of all RAAF equipment and its distribution to all units (including logistic support beyond the logistic capability of Operational Command); (4) the maintenance and modification of equipment beyond the approved capacity of Operational Command and other RAAF units and elements, and (5) cooperation with Operational Command to achieve coordination of activities in which the commands have a common interest. In addition to its large complex in Melbourne, Support Command is responsible for four training bases, two aircraft depots (similar to the maintenance facilities at a USAF Air Logistics Center), three stores depots (similar to the warehouses at a USAF Air Logistics Center), and several other activities. The principal bases of the two commands are shown in Figure 3.

Before describing the RAAF's operational capability, I believe it desirable to discuss "the core force" concept. An Australian defense writer has commented that "Australia's Defence problem is that there is no Defence problem." The point being made was that in trying to determine the shape and size of the Defence Forces the key element of an identifiable threat was missing, thereby raising problems in striking a Defence Force composition. The Australians' answer has been the development of a concept called "the core force."

The concept is a practical exercise in determining the most economical use of defense resources. It aims to determine the force needed to cope with a range of low-level contingencies while maintaining a capability for expansion to meet developing situations. It has been stated that, based on the present unlikelihood of major assault against Australia, the capabilities related to defense against such major assault deserve low priority at this time. It is generally held that even low-level contingencies are rather remote. Therefore, the capability for expansion has become the significant factor in determining the size and composition of the core force. It has been clearly recognized that the time needed to expand could be quite variable. The time depends on numerous factors such as the assessed type and degree of conflict, the priority given by the government to acquiring manpower and materiel resources, the availability and delivery time of equipment, and the nature and size of the core force in being, including the training base.

Thus, there is no easy mathematical formula which can be applied for the expansion process, and Australia is very much aware of the need for perceiving threats at an early stage.

The two basic considerations in the concept are (1) that the core force personnel must be highly trained in modern operational techniques and (2) that the equipment in the inventory must keep abreast of worldwide technological improvements to enable Australia to have a satisfactory technological base from which to expand.

The RAAF currently has 15 frontline squadrons plus 4 flying training squadrons. No. 1 and No. 6 Squadrons, stationed at Amberley, fly the F-111C, one of the world's most advanced aircraft. These two squadrons compose the RAAF's Strike Force.

Three squadrons, Nos. 3, 75, and 77, are equipped with the French Mirage fighter. The Mirage- III can operate at Mach 2 at 30,000 feet and can operate at altitudes of 75,000 feet. The Mirage's primary armament consists of the French Matra R.530 and the U.S. Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and is capable of all weather, day and night operation. During the 1960s, over 100 Mirages were built and assembled in Australia under license. These squadrons performed in the air defense and ground attack role. Two of these squadrons are based at Butterworth, Malaysia, and the other one at Williamtown, New South Wales. A detachment of Mirages from the squadrons assigned to Butterworth is normally deployed at Singapore under the Five Power Agreement.

The RAAF plays a vital role in the defense of Australia at sea. Two maritime squadrons are based in Australia with the capability of deployment elsewhere as required. No. 10 Squadron, based at Townsville, Queensland, is equipped with the SP-2H Neptune. In 1978, No. 10 Squadron will be equipped with the P-3C Orion and be relocated to Edinburgh, South Australia. No. 11 Squadron, already stationed at Edinburgh, is equipped with the P-3B Orion. The Lockheed P-3B and P-3C Orions are the backbone of our U.S. Navy's Maritime Patrol Airfleet. The propjet-powered Orions are equipped with modern antisubmarine detection and tracking equipment. The aircraft can dash at speeds above 400 knots and loiter at speeds of 200 knots. It can remain on patrol for more than 17 hours and search up to 250,000 square miles of ocean.

Five squadrons of transport aircraft meet the RAAF commitment to provide air transport for strategic deployment, tactical support of ground forces, and special flight requirements. No. 36 Squadron operates the C-130A Hercules. These aircraft will soon be replaced by C-130Hs. No. 37 Squadron flies C-130Es. Both squadrons operate out of Richmond, 30 miles northwest of Sydney, New South Wales. RAAF Hercules were the life line of Australian servicemen in Vietnam. They hauled huge quantities of supplies to Australian forces and brought home the wounded. Besides the defense role, Hercs are always to the fore in times of national disasters--be they floods, droughts, cyclones, or bushfires.

Nos. 35 and 38 Squadrons operate Caribous. The Canadian-built Caribou is a twin-engine light tactical transport aircraft. It is used in conjunction with Army operations and in civil air work. No. 34 Squadron, located at RAAF Base Fairbairn near Canberra, flies BAC 1-11, Mystère 20, and HS 748 aircraft. This squadron's main role is the transportation of senior government officials and overseas dignitaries throughout Australia and, occasionally, overseas.

There are three squadrons of helicopters plus four search and rescue detachments. No. 12 Squadron operates CH-47 Chinooks from Amberley No. 5 Squadron, stationed at Fairbairn, A.C.T., flies Iroquois. It has both training and operation assignments. No. 9 Squadron operates squadrons located at RAAF bases and at Butterworth, Malaysia. 

The RAAF maintains two geographically remote strategic staging and operational bases. (These are similar to USAF dispersed operating bases.) These are situated at Learmonth in Western Australia adjacent to the Harold E. Holt Joint U.S. Navy/Royal Australian Navy VLF Communications Facility and at Tindal (south of Darwin) in the Northern Territory.

Basic flying training is conducted at Point Cook, Victoria, which also is the home of the RAAF Academy. New Zealand CT/4 air trainers are used during this stage of training. Advanced flying training is conducted at Pearce in Western Australia. The Italian Aermacchi jet trainer is employed for this phase of training. Navigation and Air Electronics Officers receive their training in the British Hawker Siddeley HS 128 trainer at East Sale, Victoria.

The RAAF provides flying training to personnel of the Papua-New Guinea Defence Force and the Royal Malaysia Air Force. Instructors have been loaned to Malaysia and Singapore to train personnel on location in these countries.

The RAAF also provides air transport assistance to the United Nations. Seven RAAF C130s provided humanitarian support to Vietnam refugees during March-April 1975 under U.N. auspices. A RAAF Caribou and its crew have been on duty with the United Nations in Kashmir since March 1975. Four RAAF Iroquois are on duty with the U.N. at Ismailia in the Sinai Peninsula.

The RAAF approach to personnel management at all ranks calls for a much greater degree of generalization within a broad career field than does the USAF program. In the RAAF there are eight distinct branches: General Duties (rated personnel), Engineer (maintenance), Equipment (supply), Special Duties (administration), Accounting, Medical, Chaplain, and Women's RAAF branch. Promotion competition remains within the branch to which an individual is assigned. With few exceptions, individuals do not transfer between branches. As a result of this approach, an officer can progress within his branch for his entire career.

AN INDICATION of the breadth of assignments within a career field is best conveyed by reviewing the assignments of a reasonably representative engineering officer currently assigned to the Air Office: (1) Engineering Officer at an operational squadron responsible for engine and airframe flight line and organizational level maintenance and for the scheduling of all scheduled aircraft maintenance; (2) member of an assessing team which determines spares requirements for aerospace ground equipment associated with aircraft due to enter the RAAF inventory; (3) Engineering Project Officer at Headquarters, Support Command, responsible for the airframe portion of maintenance requirements, modification, documentation, and manuals on the Neptune, Caribou, and Orion; (4) Senior Engineering Officer for an operational squadron with 5 engineering officers and 200 enlisted personnel under his control; (5) RAAF Resident Engineer at Bell Helicopter Company in Fort Worth, Texas, with responsibilities similar to those of an Air Force Plant Representative; (6) Overseas Staff appointment in the Australian Embassy in Washington, responsible for monitoring developments and resolving engine and airframe problems on RAAF operated, U.S.-produced equipment; (7) Student in the Graduate Management Program of the School of Systems and Logistics, AFIT; (8) Engineering Officer of the Air Office in the Maintenance Policy Directorate, involved in the development of a computer-aided maintenance management system, responsible for a maintenance coding system for use in all areas of maintenance and supply, and responsible for the development of a maintenance philosophy for the RAAF.

The RAAF approach to the management of the logistics functions of supply, maintenance, transportation, and procurement is significantly different from that found in the USAF. As previously noted, procurement responsibility on major equipment purchases is divided between the Department of Defence and the Purchasing Office of the Department of Administrative Services. An Engineering Air Vice Marshal (major general) is in charge of the Engineering Branch at the Air Office. This organization is responsible for engineering, maintenance, and assessing spares requirements. An Equipment Air Commodore (brigadier general) at the Air Office is in charge of the Equipment (Supply) Branch. He is responsible for supply (after spares assessing) and transportation within the RAAF. The several logistics functions at command and base level are similarly divided with the officer commanding being the one individual in a position to resolve differences or conflicts at base level.

It is impractical for Australia with its relatively small population base to develop and produce the majority of its major weapon systems. This places the RAAF in the rather enviable position of being able to select its systems from a number of proven overseas competitors. For example, the British Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, the French Breguet Atlantic, a Boeing maritime patrol version of the 707, and the Lockheed P-3C Orion-all were carefully reviewed before selection of the Orion to replace the SP-2H Neptune. Selection of overseas developed and manufactured systems has several implications, the two most interesting of which are now discussed.

In order to achieve a desired level of self sufficiency, RAAF maintenance policy calls for virtually total in-country repair, overhaul, and modification capability. Thus, repair work on USAF equipment which would be performed at USAF depots or commercial facilities and most engineering work which would be accomplished by U.S. contractors is performed in-country, either by RAAF or commercial facilities. Such an approach results in the development of individuals in both the officer and enlisted ranks who must be very adaptable and flexible. It also requires the accomplishment of maintenance and modifications at base level, which are not common under the USAF approach. A significant amount of depot-level maintenance work is performed by commercial contractors. This approach is based on two objectives: (1) to release military manpower to more combat-related duties and (2) help maintain a viable in-country aircraft industry.

The combination of remoteness and the desire to maintain a reasonable level of selfsufficiency requires the RAAF to maintain significantly larger inventories of spare parts than would USAF activities with similar numbers of aircraft. The majority of follow on supply support for U.S produced equipment is purchased under cooperative logistics arrangements. Normally, major items or equipment purchased from the United States are in the U.S. services' inventory or are scheduled to become a part of the inventory. In some instances a U.S. service has agreed to provide support under the International Logistics program. When any of the above situations exist, the RAAF may enter into a Supply Support Agreement (SSA) with the appropriate U.S. service. These agreements allow the RAAF to requisition against U.S. stocks, thereby reducing lead time and costs since the U.S. is able to purchase and stock larger, more economic lots. The spares are turned over at U.S. depots to the RAAF, which then becomes responsible for the shipment of the items to Australia. The SSA requires the RAAF to purchase an equity in the stock of spare parts for the item of equipment to be supported. The logistics support provided under these supply support agreements is a major factor in the sale of U.S. defense equipment overseas. Recent interviews conducted with key personnel of the Royal Australian Air Force indicate that the logistics support provided by the three U.S. services is "magnificent" and a key factor in the decision to purchase U.S. equipment. 

The RAAF maintains close professional and working relations with the USAF and the Maritime Squadrons of the United States Navy. The RAAF participates in joint exercises with U.S. forces. Recent exercises include RIMPAC III conducted in Hawaii and Summer Rain and Kangaroo II hosted by Australia. Many RAAF personnel have received technical and professional training from USAF, USN, and U.S. Army schools. Several graduates of the Air Force Institute of Technology occupy key positions within the RAAF and the Australian Department of Defence. Twenty RAAF officers serve in exchange billets with U.s. activities. These individuals have virtually identical responsibilities to those of the host U.S. service. Conversely, a like number of U.S. officers are on duty with the RAAF in exchange positions.

AUSTRALIA IS a capable ally. She represents fundamental U.S. interests in terms of trade, investment, resources, and a common political and cultural heritage. Australia, with its wonderful people and enormous potential wealth in resources, is a country whose, friendship and continued independence are mutually important in these trying years. The Royal Australian Air Force, notable for dedication and professionalism throughout its history, is playing a key role in maintaining Australia's security and independence.

Canberra, Australia

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We are grateful to Wing Commander Hans J. F. Roser, RAAF for his help in reviewing the article and assisting with the Illustrations, while a student at Air War College, Air University, 1976-77.

Contributor

Lieutenant Colonel David N. Burt (Ph.D., Stanford University) is DOD Director, Foreign Military Sales, for Australia, at Canberra. He completed four years with the Air Force Institute of Technology as an associate professor in logistics management, and he was also Director of the Procurement Management Program, originator of the DOD Procurement Symposia series, and of the Air Force Business Methods Research Management Center. Colonel Burt's articles on procurement and systems acquisition have been published in professional journals including the Review.

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