Page 12 - Williams Foundaiton Air-Land Integration April 15

New Approaches to Air-Land Integration

Davies saw two key drivers for change as well in terms of the younger members of the RAAF would rethink
how the RAAF could integrate more effectively and industry partners helping inform the RAAF about the art of
the possible.

This clearly affects thinking about platforms.

The shift from a platform centric world is not about platforms not mattering; they do; but what is crucial is now
evaluating how a new platform contributes in a multi-mission, or multi-tasking and specialized effect for the
evolving force.

The government as well as the services working more effectively to shape how their particular new platform
contributes to both the service’s core missions as well as the effects desired for the extended battlespace.

Air Marshal Davies argued that when buying platforms going forward, a key consideration beyond their
basic functional contribution or task to determining how “integratable” those platforms might be going
forward.

“I know it’s a little unfair, but we would probably rethink the combat system on Tiger if we were to buy an
armed reconnaissance helicopter tomorrow. Having flown the airplane, I don’t have any issue with the
airplane that is Tiger. But how do you integrate it? At the moment it is less than ideal in terms of integration.”

He argued that it was crucial to have a realistic and broad view with regard to force design in mind as one
thinks about adding platforms, and a large portion of that force design needs to revolve around
“integratability.”

“For example, we are having a long conversation inside Air Force around how would you use a KC-30 better
than we currently do?

Well you would integrate it.

So what does that mean for tanker?

It means that we spend a long time in the airspace providing fuel to aircraft. What’s it doing in between the
refuels?

It’s flying racetracks or patterns or getting to the next place that gas is needed airborne. What’s it doing
while it’s doing that? Why can’t it collect some form of ISR data to be turned to knowledge? The legacy
perspective would be to say: “No it’s an in mid-air refueler and a transport aircraft.”

The new perspective is to think about how the KC-30 can become a communications node for platforms and
systems other than fighters. Perhaps you’re able to relay information to soldiers on the ground, or with regard
to the new amphibious task force, perhaps you might, from a couple hundred miles off the coast, be able to
relay information during the time the tanker is on station.

That makes a lot of sense to me, and a lot of it can happen without the crew having to do one extra bit of
work other than provide the node.”

Clearly, as the RAAF brings the F-35 into service it views its value as an asset which it wants to wring as much
“integrability” as they can from the “flying combat system.”

“I view the F-35 as a key catalyst of change not just for the Air Force but the entire ADF.

But to get there, we need to focus on our ability to work with the ADF and remain connected.
Second Line of Defense

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