‘The concept of an air force was alien’

Less evident but still an important part of the government’s decision was the intended role of the RAAF in national building. We were used by the government to foster civil aviation, in opening up air routes, post-war fund raising and were employed in national and international survey operations. So, straight away we see a very unique element to the RAAF experience.

What barriers did the RAAF face in its formation (e.g. lack of pilots, limitations of early aircraft etc?)

There were a number of barriers or difficulties that needed to be resolved in the formation and early development of the Air Force. Probably the most significant and possibly least evident barrier was the limited understanding of air power in Australia in the immediate post-war years. The RAF experience notwithstanding, there was a certain institutionalised view that military aviation and aircraft were valuable as tools for the navies and armies to enhance operations within their respective domains. There needed to be a lot of work done by advocates within the RAN and Army and by government before there was an agreed scheme for an independent air service in Australia.

In 1920, just how unimaginable it was that Australia might need a third service is perhaps best illustrated by the Acts and Service regulations, which had to be repelled, replaced and amended so that a legally empowered third service could be formed. For example, there were no means within the Navy or Defence Acts which could place a member of the RAN or Army under the legal authority of an Air Force officer. Similarly, the Navy Act had no provision for a ship’s captain to exercise legal authority over Air Force members who were working on board a HMA Ship. The concept of an air force was just so alien that there was simply no provision made for a third armed service legally able to use lethal force on Australia’s behalf. These very real issues had to be addressed and, in some cases, required the approval of the Governor-General.

After the Air Force was formed, it faced some of the same issues we have today. Although on day one, there was no lack of aircraft. It is something of a force structure unique to the Air Force of 1921, that on the day of our formation we had more aircraft than personnel, 153 to 149. That said, most of the aircraft were in long-term storage, so the prospect of flight lines full of aircraft bereft of aircrew to fly them or technicians to fix them never eventuated.

Certainly, in the early years of the RAAF the greatest barrier to development was funding. Australia was facing enormous economic problems in the early 1920s and the Air Force was not immune from the need for austerity in every Commonwealth department. It had been forecast in 1920 that the Air Force would require £2.6 million ($5.6 billion, 2020) for the first two years of its operations. This was required to fund new airfields, establish infrastructure and most importantly to expand on personnel numbers. What it received was a mere £325,000 ($27 million, 2020). The budget restraints were also concurrent with cuts to the RAAF’s approved establishment so the ability for the RAAF to develop in line with the government’s air defence policy was unachievable. It was not until 1936 that the Air Force budget achieved parity with the other arms of Defence.

The turning point for the Air Force was World War II. During that conflict it was employed in every air campaign of the conflict — even for a period in Russia. The effects generated by the Australian Air Force as well as those of the belligerent nations demonstrated the contribution air power can make to national strategy. The value of the Air Force to Australia’s national strategic and defence policies is now well understood by government and the ADF.

What capability did the RAAF add to Australia’s defence in its early years, that wasn’t available prior to its creation?

The plans submitted to government from the RAN and Army on how they planned to employ aircraft during the peacetime after World War I detailed how aircraft were intended to be little more than an asset of the ships at sea, the fixed defences of our ports and as a close adjunct to land forces. In being established as an independent air service instead, Australia’s military aviation was able to be employed beyond that of the immediate requirements of the naval and ground commanders, and be employed on national building tasks. Air routes were established across the country and the task to foster civil aviation was part of the Air Force remit. This meant that the RAN and the Army still got the air support they required while the nation as a whole was also served by an air force commanded, controlled and operated by aviation specialists.

How significant was the RAAF in Australia’s defence during WWII?

It would be fair to say that the Air Force came of age during World War II. The contribution to Australia’s defence and to the global war effort marked the maturation of the Air Force. When the war was declared on 3 September 1939 the Air Force was already on a war footing and had No. 10 Squadron in the United Kingdom training with the RAF’s Coastal Command. From the first days of the war to the very last, the Air Force was on operations domestically and overseas with our coalition partners.

As a result of our commitment to the Empire Air Training Scheme, Australian airmen and ground crews saw operational service in every air campaign of the war. This service included operations with the RAF in the air defence of the United Kingdom, as part of Bomber Command over Europe and the tactical air force elements that were part of the D-Day landings and the liberation of Europe. We had squadrons as part of the North African Campaign and the air war over the Mediterranean and Italy. In fact, the first Allied aviation unit to arrive in Italy during its liberation was the ground crews of the Air Force’s No. 3 Squadron who were soon joined by the aircrew in their Kittyhawk fighters.

The Air Force also became more inclusive during the war. On 25 February 1941 the Air Force began recruiting for the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), the first of the nation’s defence forces to open its ranks to a women’s service. The contribution of the WAAAF to Australia’s defence was to become critical when the war suddenly escalated in December 1941.

After the strategic shock achieved by the Japanese in their entry into the war, the Air Force bases in Australia became part of Australia’s front lines. From these northern Australian airfields Air Force units daily sortied out over the occupied areas north of Australian and New Guinea in an offensive air campaign aimed at taking control of the air while also interdicting enemy lines of communications.

A little-known aspect of the Air Force’s preparation for the air defence of Australia in the pre-war years was the establishment of a number of Advanced Operating Bases (AOB) in the regions north of Australia extending into the South Pacific. These bases Air Force units were able to provide surveillance and reconnaissance over territory now occupied by enemy forces. It was Air Force Catalina aircraft operating from AOBs who were the first to locate the Japanese forces moving into the Coral Sea prior to that pivotal battle which saved Port Moresby from occupation through an amphibious landing. Not only did the Air Force conduct the first and the last attacks of the Battle of the Coral Sea but sadly suffered the only Australian casualties of the engagement.

Today the Air Force is maturing as a networked force operating across multiple domains as a joint partner. It is in World War II that the first vestiges of the force-to-be can be seen. During the war the Air Force not only established a chain of radar and observation systems around Australia that was eventually extended into the Asia-Pacific region, but supported the system through a complex control and reporting network that was able to provide timely and accurate information for use by our joint and coalition partners. The WAAAF was to become an essential element of the workforce operating the critical network nodes. It is no exaggeration to say that without the WAAAF the vital information collected across the battlespace could not have been developed into actionable intelligence for use in the defence of Australia and in the liberation of the occupied areas of the Asia-Pacific region.

The Air Force in World War II included niche capability that contributed as much to our American coalition partners as it did to the defence of Australia. For example, the only two Australian ground units to be included in American landings in the Philippines during late 1944 were both Air Force elements. These units were included in the landing force to make up for a shortfall in American capability. The two units were the Air Force’s No. 3 Airfield Construction Squadron (No. 3 ACS) and No. 6 Wireless Unit (No. 6 WU). While the role of No. 3 ACS is self-evident, that of No. 6 WU was less so. A highly classified unit specialising in radio interception and intelligence, the personnel of No. 6 WU started its work while aboard the invasion fleet and continued its radio interception operations after landing as part of the invasion force. Its work during the Philippines operation is credited with the destruction of 17 enemy ships and the interception of several hundred enemy aircraft.

The RAAF is relatively unique in its use of the F-111, what prompted the RAAF to acquire this aircraft and keep it in service for so long?

The F-111 presented the Air Force with a rare opportunity to acquire an aircraft which was ideally suited to Australia’s geostrategic circumstances and the Air Force’s operational intent. In buying an American aircraft we were both investing in a relationship and interoperability with one of our closest coalition partners in the Asia-Pacific region. For Air Force, the range, payload and mission profiles of the F-111 matched the likely operation tasks to be expected of Australian strike aircraft. At the time, the Air Force’s main strike platform was the venerable Canberra bomber. The step-change capability the F-111 offered over the Canberra was revolutionary.

It seems remarkable now, but in 1963 the F-111 was not our first choice. Instead, it was the North American Vigilante, an already in-service aircraft with the United States Navy. In retrospect, the government’s preference to delay the acquisition of a Canberra replacement in order to obtain the F-111 meant that we were getting a far more technologically advanced platform which was destined to be produced in far greater numbers than the Vigilante.

The long service life of the F-111 was due to a number of factors which combined to allow us to operate the aircraft from 1973 until 2010. Even before the F-111 arrived in Australia it was appreciated that the advanced technology resident in the aircraft was far beyond what the Air Force was then capable of maintaining. This resulted in a two-pronged strategy of reskilling our engineering and technical workforce to prepare them for when the aircraft arrived while also investing in Australia’s aviation industry to provide a sound basis for self-reliance. This meant we had an enduring basis for maintaining a skilled workforce able to sustain an ageing capability well into the 21st century.

While the F-111 is a remarkable aircraft of itself, the on-board systems were to prove even more remarkable and readily upgradable. Over the service life of the aircraft, the Air Force invested in upgrades to the engines, avionics and weapon systems in order to keep the platform relevant in the modern battlespace. The modifications to the F-111 to enable it to deliver precision guided munitions and the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles are two examples of how the F-111 was able to be adapted to operate increasing sophisticated systems.

The ageing airframe and high operating costs were to ultimately force the retirement of the F-111, however there remains a legacy for the Air Force. The F-111 program demonstrated what can be achieved when capability follows national strategic policy and Air Force strategy.

What kind of impact did the Caribou have for the RAAF and how was it replaced?

It is no exaggeration to say that the Caribou made a big impact on the Air Force and contributed to a number of operations at the time of its acquisition. For all of its utility, the Caribou came into Australian service at a time of great change within Air Force. From 1958 to 1973 the Air Force acquired new maritime patrol aircraft, fighters, heavy airlift capability, battlefield helicopters and new strike platforms. In contrast to these new aircraft with their modern avionics and sensor systems, the Caribou with its 1930s era engine design, basic avionics and unpowered flight controls seemed something of an anachronism. Yet for all of its simplicity, the rugged design and STOL capability of the Caribou meant it was ideal for operations in remote regions within Australia and across the Asia-Pacific region. The Caribou gave the Air Force a versatile aircraft that could be deployed on operations such as in Vietnam or as part of peacekeeping commitments such as in Kashmir, East Timor and the Solomon Islands on humanitarian operations such disaster recovery operations in Australia and in aid of our near neighbours.

When the difficulties in sustaining the Caribou and its ageing airframe meant that it was time to retire the aircraft, it was a difficult capability to replace. Currently, the Air Force operates the C-27J in a similar role as the Caribou but takes advantage of its superior range-payload capability to employ the Spartan as a medium airlifter. This capability works in conjunction with the Air Force fleet of C-17A and C-130J aircraft and the ADF’s rotary wing fleet in a classic hub-and-spoke strategic to tactical airlift model.

What capability did the Orion offer the RAAF?

From the time the P-3 Orion entered Air Force service to its retirement in 2019 the Orion provided the Air Force with sterling service. The Orion was first acquired in 1968 to replace the ageing Neptune aircraft of No. 11 Squadron. The Neptune was a World War II era aircraft which had been progressively modified with ASW equipment. However, the airframe simply wasn’t fit for purpose. The Orion, when it came into service represented a real improvement. Fitted with new generation maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare suite, the Orion represented a step change in airframe design and performance as well as an ISR ability far superior to the Neptune it replaced.

One of the great strengths of the Orion was the ready flexibility of its airframe to accept new and updated surveillance, avionic and weapon systems which enabled the Air Force to expand on its maritime warfare role. The modification of the P-3C fleet to the AP-3C configuration in early the early 2000s is an excellent example.

The AP-3C Orion was part of the Air Force’s great entrée into the networked and digital air force we are moving towards today. While very capable as a maritime patrol aircraft in its own right, the AP-3C Orion proved itself as equally adept in the overland ISR role in Iraq and Afghanistan. The updates to the Orion’s sensor and weapon systems in 2002 had transformed the aircraft from a Cold War era anti-submarine and surveillance aircraft into a true multirole platform. The upgrades introduced new sensors, navigation, communications and data management systems to such an extent that when we deployed the Orions to the MEAO in 2003 the crews of the AP3-C aircraft were able to routinely extend their mission profiles to include overland surveillance in a manner far beyond that envisioned by the aircraft’s designer’s decades earlier.

The datalinks on board the Orion enabled the aggregation and sharing of common operating pictures across surface and airborne assets as well as the provision of real-time ISR data. The networking capabilities of the AP-3C went beyond the ADF and was interoperable with our key coalition partners. The AP-3C marked a major milestone for the Air Force as it transitioned to the networked force of 2021.

How significant were the FA-18 aircraft and what has driven their ongoing upgrades to keep them in service until 2022?

The F/A-18A/B Hornet entered RAAF service in 1986 having been chosen as the multirole strike fighter to replace its ageing fleet of Mirage fighters. Early on the Hornet proved both lethal and survivable in all-weather by day and by night, enabling a generational leap forward in air combat capability.

Over the years the Australian government approved several significant upgrades to the Hornet to ensure that it remained credible against the pacing threat. Despite the Hornet fielding capabilities from several nations, the Hornet of 2021 strongly reflects the technology transfer associated with the strong strategic alliance shared between the USN and the RAAF.

Through a capable suite of weapons, sensors and communications the F/A-18 Hornet has been a remarkable and agile fighter aircraft that retires proudly as one of most capable all-round fourth-generation platforms globally.

How has the F-35A Lightning revolutionised the RAAF’s combat capability – e.g. what does it bring that other aircraft do not have?

The F-35A Lightning II is the first fifth-generation fighter aircraft to enter RAAF service and complements the 4.5 Generation F/A-18F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler within the Air Combat portfolio. The Lightning II provides Australia’s joint force with high levels of situational awareness and survivability characteristics able to operate within modern threat engagement zones. Australia’s aggressive Lightning II transition profile plus a very close partnership with the US and partners on capability development place the RAAF in an enviable position for the 2020s and beyond.