Page 18 - Williams Foundation Future of Electronic Warfare Seminar

A New Approach and Attitude to Electronic Warfare in Australia

But our innovative JO’s roll up their sleeves and mission plan, making EW/SEAD contracts with their counterparts
– they’re talking spectrum; sensors; gaps in capabilities; and contracts to ensure that non-kinetic effects are
layered and distributed to increase lethality across the force.

It takes work to maximize innovatively our capabilities. For the US Navy, it took perseverance to innovate from a
standoff EA-6B Jammer mindset, to a platform and community of experts focused on distributing battlespace
awareness and attacking the enemy’s kill web across all mission areas.

As CDR Paul summarized how he saw the way ahead: "An innovative, team-based collaborative culture that
ingrains Information Warfare strengthens the VAQ community's enduring international partnership in EW."

Group Captain Braz and the Coming of the Growler to the Australian
Defence Force

Interview conducted April 2017 at Amberley Airbase.

During my visit to Amberley Airbase in Australia, I had a chance to talk with the 82nd Wing Commander,
Group Captain Braz on April 3, 2017.
The Wing had been reorganized to include both Super Hornets and Growlers as the RAAF prepares for the
fifth generation air combat transition.

Group Captain Braz has been in the RAAF for thirty years; originally he was an F-111 operator and then
transitioned to Super Hornet, which was the RAAF selection of the aircraft to transition from the legacy aircraft
(F-111) to the fifth generation aircraft (F-35).

He was one of the pioneers in that transition (the first commander of 1 Squadron when the Super Hornet came
into the force) and now is part of the next one (as the F-35 comes into the force). In addition to many other
postings and duties, he served as the Growler transition team leader in the RAAF headquarters for two years
as well.

Question: Let us start with the challenge of transition. The Super Hornet was an important stimulus to
change in the RAAF going from the F-111 to the Super Hornet, going from the mechanical to the initial
digital age.

How disruptive was that transition?
Group Captain Braz: The Super Hornet was acquired to reduce risk with regard to our air combat transition.

We were operating the F-111, and we were the sole orphan operator of the F-111, an aging airframe with
declining relevance. We knew the F-35, the new generation was coming but with uncertain timelines. And we
had an aging classic Hornet fleet, which was starting to show more signs of its age.

Second Line of Defense

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