Page 10 - Williams Foundaiton Air-Land Integration April 15

New Approaches to Air-Land Integration

Suddenly the squad leader has identified a hot priority target. I've got imagery of a high priority target, hot
value target that's time sensitive from the squad commander.

How long does it take currently to pass that information up to the strike element?

This will only happen if the squad leader can jump the net and move directly to the fire cell within division so
that that he can talk directly to the divisional asset and potentially the plane overhead, to coordinate the
fires.

I think it's this issue to work out the decision loop. You want to connect the key people that need to be involved
in a particular joint fire and potentially jump those who need the information but do not need to make a
decision.

THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR
FORCE (RAAF)

Air Marshal Davies opened the two day RAAF Airpower Conference where more than 1,000 attendees from
Australia, and the region, the US and Europe participated.

The first day was highlighted by the Minister of Defence and the Service Chiefs providing their perspectives
on the challenges and ways ahead for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

In his opening remarks, Davies highlighted that the RAAF Plan Jericho was dovetailing with similar plans of the
other two services. But 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 crosscutting with the other services.

During the second day of the Airpower Conference, the focus was upon providing an update on Plan Jericho
and progress in the RAAF with regard to the approach and to shaping thinking about multi-domain
integration.

The Chief of Staff focused on the increasing demands being placed on RAAF personnel to deal with the
challenges of change, and the pace of operations, as well as the coming into the fleet of new capabilities
along with newly combat tested assets, such as Wedgetail and the KC-30A.

“The technology maybe cutting edge, but the people in the front lines, and those that create and sustain the
effort are those who shape the combat capability.”

He followed this presentation the next day with the keynote address to the Williams Foundation seminar on
new approaches to air-land integration.

He argued throughout his presentation that RAAF transformation was a key driver for the opportunity for
shaping a more effective integrated and joint force but it would not happen by itself and required work
across the ADF to ensure that transformation would occur.

In a follow-up interview on March 21, the theme of the intersection between the RAAF and joint innovation
was a key focus of the discussion. But what Davies argued was that this is a very dynamic and interactive and
open-ended process.

“It is like a jig saw puzzle.
Second Line of Defense

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