Defence Update

This followed the implementation of the changes foreshadowed in the 1991 (Defence) Force Structure Review. They are separate to any redundancies arising from the ongoing Commercial Sup- port Programme which is seeing a considerable number of Service support functions being contracted out to private industry.

The new organisation in Air Force Office in Canberra, headed by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Barry Gration, came into effect on July 1. It followed a review of functions in line with recommendations to achieve optimum efficiencies as a follow up to the review of Higher Defence Staff Arrangements in the 1989 Sanderson Review.

Under them the Deputy Chief of Air Staff (currently Air Vice Marshal Tom O’Brien) will concentrate on RAAF wide guidance and the longer term view while the Assistant Chief of Air Staff – Personnel (currently Air Vice Marshal Frank Cox) has taken on further responsibilities for resource management, and he is now titled ACPRM.

He will focus on the more specific and sometimes immediate tasks of personnel and resource management. Air Force Materiel Division (under Air Vice Marshal Brian Graf) recently issued a Corporate Plan, the objective of which is to make it a more efficient and effective organisation. It now has a third Director General. (More on that later. ) Explaining the need for another RAAF redundancy programme, AVM Cox said: “When the FSR changes were agreed, separation rates were in the order of 12% a year. Currently they are about 6%.

“Because of this low rate, the Air Force has been holding down recruiting levels to achieve the reduced total numbers required by the FSR changes,” he added.

“This approach – coupled with the earlier redundancy programme has been successful in controlling numbers. However the numbers in the trained force have remained high, while the numbers in the training force have come down”, the AVM said.

“The higher than required trained force strength has in turn held expenditure on salaries at a higher level than budgeted because of the higher salaries paid to trained personnel. ” He stressed that the new redundancy programme had been a totally voluntary one, and involved 850 personnel, including about 100 officers, leaving the RAAF by June 30.

The authorised programme had a target of 900 and drew more than that number in Expressions of Interest (EOI). But some of those subsequently withdrew from the programme. The programme essentially was directed towards lower ranking officers and airmen. Those were the areas where the surpluses of trained staff against the revised establishment were highest.

The programme also was directed at specific musterings and officer categories. Personnel filling positions where present or forecast numbers met the establishment were excluded.

In general terms, redundancies were offered to the remaining members of disbanding musterings; members of musterings and categories with forecast long term surpluses; and members of any mustering or category outside years of service/experience profile required for the post FSR Air Force.

Air Vice Marshal Cox explained that the payments to those who took the redundancy packages were consistent with those made to other government employees. Basically the payments equate to two weeks pay for every year of service up to 48 weeks, plus normal superannuation and leave entitlements. Funding for the programme is being met from recent and future RAAF Budget provisions.

On the matter of significant changes in the Air Force Office, this arose out of the establishment of a Joint Working Party in August 1992 to review the Higher Defence Staff Arrangements since the 1989 Review by the then Major General John Sanderson, who was Assistant Chief of Defence Staff-Development.

The report of the Working Party is known as the Thompson-Watters Report, or more formally as the Review of High Defence Arrangements (RHDA). This was considered by the Chief of Staff Committee (CÒSC) in January. It was agreed that each Service Chief/Programme Manager would undertake an internal review of their respective offices/programmes by July 1.

The COSC also issued guidance for the reviews. On the RAAF side, the Deputy Chief of Air Staff, AVM O’Brien, briefed the Chief of Air Staff’s Advisory Committee (CASAC) on the need to review Air Force Office (APO). He presented an outline organisation which had been agreed in general terms by the then Chief of Defence Force, General Peter Gration.

It was based on two two-staff (Air Vice Marshal) officers other than the Assistant Chief of Air Staff – Materiel, who by reason of his duties was not able to deputise for the CAS. It demonstrated savings and efficiencies by identifying practicable opportunities to devolve tasks and manpower from Canberra. It also stressed that the new organisation would have to be operational almost immediately, given the stress that the RAAF would be under in the 1993-94 financial year. Air Marshal Gration tasked Air Vice Marshal O’Brien to establish an implementation team which was headed by Group Captain Doug Chipman.

The key changes see three divisions headed by the OCAS, the ACPRM-AF and ACMAT-AF. Responsibility for management of minor capital equipment, projects has gone to the Headquarters of Logistic Command, Melbourne. The sponsorship of minors now is with the Director-General, Force Development (Air), Air Commodore Errol Walker, sponsorship of individual training courses to the commands, and sponsorship of aircrew publications to the Air Officer Commanding Training Command, Air Commodore Bob Richardson, and the appropriate group commanders. The concept of category/mustering sponsorship, as it conferred authority on AFO staff, has been abolished and is being replaced by mustering/ category specialist advisers, not necessarily in AFO.

The Personnel Services Branch, Directorates of Air Warfare and Operational Support Services have been disbanded and their functions devolved, transferred or terminated. The significant changes to ACPERS-AF’s responsibilities incorporate programme management and resource planning. But personnel issues remain of prime importance and high priority.

The new Air Force Materiel Division reflects a more integrated and focused approach to capital acquisition. Under the Corporate Plan it also will continue a process of ongoing improvement in all areas, utilising RAAFQ (Quality) principles. The Plan redefines the Division’s vision, mission, goals and objectives. “Vision” is seen as “committed professionals practising excellence in acquisition for the Australian Defence Force”.

The “Mission Statement” covers acquisition and through life support of approved Air Weapon Systems for the ADF. There are seven goals which cover acquiring the “right” equipment, getting Value for Money, Meeting the Requirements, Contract Standards, Engineering Expertise, Ongoing Improvements and Personnel Development.

Under the Materiel Division’s reorganisation, a third branch has been added. The Director General Materiel – Weapons Systems, now is Air Commodore John MacNaughton who was formerly DG – Engineering. The new Branch comes under the DG Materiel – Support Systems, who is Air Commodore Ian Whisker. The Assistant Secretary-Materiel remains as Mr Richard Cooper.