Page 161 - Australian Defence Magazine November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
FROM THE SOURCE AIR MARSHAL MEL HUPFELD 161
A D M : How would you envisage an ideal F-35A replacement? AM HUPFELD: The F-35A—along with the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler—is key to our current air combat capability, and critical to achieving the objectives set out in the Defence Strategic Update 2020 to Shape, Deter and Respond.
We remain satisfied with the next-generation capabil- ity provided by the F-35A; and look forward to the aircraft being the cornerstone of our air combat capability for the next 30 or so years.
Beyond that, changing circumstances and technology advancements mean the right choice for future capability may not be more F-35As, nor a fighter jet at all. Rather, the right choice will be what provides the required air combat superiority and strike capability.
ADM: How are you positioning the RAAF for the next 100 years?
AM HUPFELD: High-end combat has always been our focus, and we have succeeded at producing a force which is ca- pable of lethal air power, however as recent events have shown, we need to be able to offer a wider set of options to the Australian Government. We need to be smarter about how we configure, train and think about the ways we influ- ence and force-project.
We will not do this in isolation, The Air Force is commit- ted to integrating air and space power with land, maritime and cyber domains. To evolve for the future, we need to
concentrate on how best to use our tools for the greatest effect. The Air Force needs to focus on preparedness set- tings and readiness to be able to support our Joint Force, partners and allies to succeed in the current geostrategic environment.
From the outside looking in, the Air Force of next gen- eration will not necessarily look very different – our plat- forms will still be cutting edge. But where you will see a huge shift is in how we think about those platforms and their contributions within a wider array of effects being generated right across Defence and government. We will have a workforce that is strategically aware. Confident that they know their place in the Joint Force, know what their responsibilities are to the Government, and understand the strategic effects they generate every day. They will be ag- ile in their thinking, and will strive to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
I wouldn’t claim to know what the Air Force will look like in another 100 years, but my guidance for our young leaders who will be part of that progression is to priori- tise opportunities which maximise our resource advan- tages while managing risks associated with our current dependencies. In this, I imagine they will leverage sov- ereign supply chains, new and interesting fuel technolo- gies and families of systems (both exquisite and expend- able) which will heavily rely on human/machine teaming to make sure we continue to punch above our weight long into the future. ■
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