Defence Update

The number of RAAF Caribou transports, which are essentially in an Army support role, is to be cut from 21 to 14, and all of them located adjacent to the Army’s Operational Deployment Force at Townsville. This rationalisation is welcome although it is not yet clear what it will mean in terms of other than routine servicing and maintenance at the depot level. One presumes a civilian contractor will be awarded such work, and be expected to set up facilities in north Queensland.

When the Defence Minister, Senator Robert Ray, announced the widespread changes in the ADF’s new force structure, he released a number of reviews, reports and studies to substantiate the new look.

The primary one is the Force Structure Review spearheaded by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral Alan Beaumont, and the then DoD Deputy Secretary, Strategic and Intelligence, Dr Paul Dibb. The carriage of the build-up work on the Force Structure Review was handed by the Assistant Chief of the Defence Force, Development, Major General John Sanderson, and the First Assistant Secretary, Force Development and Analysis, Mr Martin Brady One of the difficulties in assessing whether most if not all of what should be considered a new Defence Master Plan is that at the time of the Minister’s speech on May 30, the Defence Department had still not been given financial guidance by the Government. Some are hopeful it may be held to zero real growth; others fear it will drop back to negative growth which would mean Defence expenditure would not be even keeping pace with inflation. This is all a far cry from the Dibb Report of 1986 which urged a 3% real growth annually to tackle some of the capability and equipment deficiencies.

Still Senator Ray is on the record as saying that the changes should save $3 billion over 10 years, and that $2 billion of that money will go to updating or acquiring new weapons systems. The savings mostly come from cutting the size of the Australian Defence Force from about 67,000 to 57,000. But it is not as drastic as the proposals by former Defence consultant Mr Alan Wrigley. He wanted the ADR Reserve Forces (mostly Army) heavily enlarged and the Regular forces cut back hard.

What really has come out of it is a plan to enlist 4,200 Ready Reservists (3,200 Army) which, through incentives such as the of payment of university fees, would serve one year’s full time duty, followed by 50 days a year training for the four years after that. Obviously if it works as planned, the pool of reasonably trained Reservists will gradually increase. They still will require 90 days top up training to reach proper combat readiness, but then the same at present can be said for four of the present six infantry battalions. Only the two Operational Deployment Force (ODF) battalions at Townsville are at anything like their full strength of 800.

The thrust of the Force Structure Review and other studies is to alter the balance of the ADF capabilities to better meet strategic priorities. Here are some key items in summarised form:

• Communications. Redirect new generation communications projects from high cost-military specification programs to more extensive use of the civil infrastructure and commercially available equipment. This is seen as a real growth area.

• Intelligence and Surveillance. Unsubstantial investment in intelligence and surveillance including the development of two operational Over-the-Horizon Radars (OTHA), the contract for which has gone to Telecom Australia as the prime contractor, by the mid to late 1990s, and the need for a third radar facility to be reviewed later in the decade.

Planning to introduce airborne early warning aircraft (AEW&C) later in the decade (which most believe is a necessary adjunct to the Jindalee OTHA for the identification and verification of air, space and sea intruders so that intercepts can be run).

A substantial upgrading of the P-3C Orion aircraft for long range maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare is further confirmed to enhance overall surveillance capability, and is already under way. Systems to integrate surveillance data from civil and military sources are also to be introduced to provide a comprehensive maritime surveillance picture. The acquisition of two new hydrographic and one oceanographic ships is also to be undertaken.

• Maritime Forces. The program to build six Type 471 Swedish designed diesel electric submarines is confirmed, but the initial Navy wish to add two more to make a total of eight will not proceed. The Navy will monitor developments in air-independent propulsion, but does not presently plan to fit such systems to the Collins Class submarines. The Royal Australian Navy will be expanded to 16 major surface combatants (destroyers and frigates) by late in the first decade of the next century.

The RAN at present has three DOG destroyers which will be in need of replacement starting at about the turn of the century. By then It willhave six FFG frigates, with the two now being built added to the four earlier purchased from the USA. It also will have eight ANZAC frigates. With the River Class destroyer escorts (DE) phased out, this adds up to 17 destroyers or frigates. New vessels constructed in the future, which is taken to mean the DOG replacements, will be based on a modification of the ANZAC frigate design. As only 16 major surface combatants are proposed, it appears there will not be one for one DOG replacement program.

The 15 Fremantle Class patrol boats will be given a half life modernisation to take them into the next century. It is then planned to construct 12 more capable offshore patrol boats for delivery from 2004. They would have improved seakeeping and a true weapons capability.

The much delayed Inshore Minehunter prototypes are to continue with sonar trials, and will be retained, but the initial plan to order four more has been abandoned. Instead the Navy is to acquire, as a matter of priority, four coastal minehunters of proven design, and an option for a further two later in the decade.

The chain of northern air bases is to be completed this decade with the construction of a new “bare bones” base near Weipa, and already named after former RAAF CAS and GDF, Sir Frederick Scherger. The chain of northern bases is designed to improve the ADF’s ability to support operations forward in the sea and air approaches. There will be further development of RAAF Bases at Tindal (NT), Derby (Curtin, WA), Townsville (Qld), Darwin (NT), Pearce (WA) and Learmonth (WA). Although not mentioned in the summary, the conversion of four 707 Proposals to provide the Navy/Army with a troop carrying helicopter support ship apparently is not seen as urgent, but the acquisition of such a vessel later in the decade is canvassed. It would have the dual role of replacing the training ship, Jervis Bay, and having other capabilities. • Air Defence. As already mentioned, the F-111C and F/A-18 jets will be managed so as to extend their service life. For the first time, significant numbers of Reserve aircrew will be available to fly these aircraft within specified readiness levels.transports to act as inflight refuelling tankers will enhance the capabilities of the Hornets, but it appears that any move by the RAAF to also provide inflight refuelling for the F-111s will be thwarted.

• Land Forces. Two regular infantry battalions are to be abolished in Brisbane and replaced by three Ready Reserve formations, with the brigade strength of around 3,200, including 800 regulars. There will only be two Regular Brigades, the one now at Townsville, and the one at Holsworthy which will move to Darwin later in the decade.

Air Force support arrangements are to be rationalised to achieve significant savings over the decade. The measures to be taken include base rationalisation and contracting out support services and maintenance. The airfields at Laverton and Point Cook, Victoria are to close, but some functions and schools will remain. The ADF Helicopter School at Fairbairn, ACT is to be moved to Oakey, Old by the mid-1990s.

The RAAF No 34 VIP Squadron will remain at Fairbairn. Apparently Minister Ray rejected a proposal that it should be operated by civilians.

The RAAF pilot training system is being restructured to involve civilian flight screening, and all through PC-9 training at Pearce No 1 Flying Training School at Point Cook will be disbanded, and the CT-4 aircraft retired, probably about 1992. (Refer Newsdesk item this issue)

The Point Cook airfield is to be sold, but the base, including Headquarters, Training Command, RAAF College, Institute of Aviation Medicine and the RAAF Museum will be retained. Other Victorian units, including some from the St Kilda Road Defence complex, are likely to be relocated at Point Cook.

The airfield and base at Laverton will be sold with existing units gradually relocated or closed. No 1 Aircraft Depot will be closed and the Central Photographic Establishment relocated along with other units. No 6 RAAF Hospital may be retained as an ADF medical facility for the Melbourne area.

Aviation related technical training for all Services will be conducted by the RAAF at Wagga. Air Headquarters will be collocated with Maritime and Land Headquarters at a site to be chosen. RAAF Logistics Command may be moved from the central business district of Melbourne. The changes in function groups in Air Command will see former F-111C and F/A-18 aircrew encouraged to continue as Reservists for periods of up to six years to provide a surge capability, and the aircraft utilisation managed to ensure that both types remain in service until at least 2010.

No 33 Squadron of 707 transports/tankers will be relocated to Amberley, probably in 1992-93. The C-130E Hercules transports of No 37 Squadron at Richmond will also be replaced in the mid-1990s, probably with later model C-130s. Over the next 10 years, Permanent Air Force numbers will reduce from some 22,000 by 4,200.