Page 30 - Renorming of Airpower: The F-35 Enters the Combat Fleet

The Renorming of Airpower: The F-35 Arrives into the Combat Force

THE DEPUTY COMMANDANT OF AVIATION DOWN UNDER: PLAN JERICHO
MARINE CORPS STYLE

The Williams Foundation hosted a seminar on new approaches to air-land integration. The terms of reference
for the conference were as follows:

Air forces need to be capable of delivering air and space power effects to support conventional and special
operations in the land domain. Air-Land integration is one of the most important capabilities for successful joint
operations.

The last decade has seen a significant shift in how airpower has supported ground operations. With the
introduction of systems like Rover, the ability of airpower to provide precision strike to the ground forces saw a
significant change in fire support from a wide variety of air platforms. Precision air dropping in support of
outposts or moving forces introduced new capabilities of support.

Yet this template of air ground is really focused on air support to the ground whereas with the shift in the global
situation, a much wider set of situations are emerging whereby the air-ground integration approach will become
much wider in character, and the ability to insert force rapidly, as a precision strike capability, and to be
withdrawn will be a key tool in the toolbox for decision makers.

Fifth generation enabled operations will see a shift to a distributed C2 approach which will clearly change the
nature of the ground-to air command system, and the with the ability of fifth generation systems to generate
horizontal communications among air assets outside the boundaries of a classic AWACs directed system, the
change in C2 will be very wide ranging.

The seminar will explore how the ADF can take advantage of Army’s Plan Beersheba and Air Force’s Plan Jericho
to enhance Air-Land integration

Quite obviously, the evolving capabilities of the USMC are clearly convergent with the approach, which
Williams wished to foster for the future of the ADF. Lt. General Davis highlighted at the beginning of his
presentation that when he attended the Avalon Air Show and then head of the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) introduced Plan Jericho, it was clear that the Marines and the RAAF were on the same page.

“I went back to the Commandant and said that we need to work more closely with the RAAF because with
Plan Jericho they are onto something big with regard to innovation.”

The presentation was hard hitting, comprehensive and clearly on target for the Australian audience.

As Air Commodore Steve Roberton, Commander Air Combat Group and a former exchange officer with the
USMC, commented, “If you think this was hard hitting, it was mild compared to some Marines. The Marines
are gung ho about the future and shaping new combat capabilities. They do no like to lose.”

This theme was central to Davis’s presentation – the entire point about combat innovation was to be the best
force, which America could deliver to any global crises at any time. “We want to be the best partner to our
friends; and the most feared enemy of our foes.”

Technology is important to this effort, and he highlighted that the Osprey being brought into the force was a
generator of “disruptive change,” but the kind crucial to real combat innovation. But change is difficult; and
the critics prevalent.”

Second Line of Defense

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