Air to Air

Air dominance reflects the pinnacle of the high ground, where both a qualitative and quantitative edge in doctrine, equipment and personnel support the unrivalled conduct of offensive or defensive air combat operations. 

The concept of air dominance proved influential as a tactical and strategic operating concept, with the use of tactical fighters providing air dominance, close air support and strategic bomber escort essential to the Allied triumph in the Second World War. 

Meanwhile, strategic bombing, long-range strike and the airborne intelligence gathering and command and control emerged during the Second World War but were perfected during the Cold War to provide seamless deterrence and survivable intelligence, surveillance and command capacity in advent of nuclear war. 

While the advent of fifth-generation technology has dominated the fighter space, such capabilities have also begun transforming air lift, airborne early warning command and control, and space-based platforms have largely slipped under the radar. 

The First World War saw limited action for the then infant Royal Australian Navy, but the Second World War and its truly global battlefield forced the Royal Australian Air Force to radically shift its approach and capabilities as, for the first time, Australia was under direct threat of attack and potential invasion. 

The aftermath of the Pacific campaign and the Cold War in many ways paved the way for Australia’s contemporary air combat strategy off the back of the nation’s major engagements during the Indonesian Konfrontassi, Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Power projection, backed by a potent fleet of modern fighter and strategic bomber capabilities, combined with air lift and longrange ISR capabilities enabled Australian policy makers to intervene directly in regional security matters in order to prevent any major threat to the Australian mainland. 

However, the concept of ‘Forward Defence’ and the ‘domino theory’ would prove to be mildly successful during the Malaya crisis and Korean conflicts, but ultimately, politically unpalatable in the aftermath of the disastrous Vietnam War. 

The 1986 Dibb review and supporting 1987 Defence White Paper established and solidified the Defence of Australia doctrine, which saw the nation’s air combat capabilities shift away from power projection, towards control over the critical aerial and maritime approaches to the Australian landmass and the ‘Sea-Air Gap’ the economy depends upon. 

‘We saw our security inextricably linked with the security of others’ – Professor Paul Dibb

Author of the 1986 Dibb review, Professor Paul Dibb explains the shift in doctrine from ‘Forward Defence’ and supporting others’ security to enhance our own, to the comparatively isolationist ‘Defence of Australia’ doctrine: 

“Until the late 1960s, Australian defence planning and policy assumed that our forces would normally operate in conjunction with allies, and well forward of the continent. We saw our security inextricably linked with the security of others.” 

While this shift can be argued by some as essential as the strategic realities of the IndoPacific evolved after Vietnam and through the later stages of the Cold War, it delivered some of the highly capable platforms and capabilities that continue to serve as the basis of contemporary Australia’s air power capabilities. 

As the region and global balance of power continues to undergo a major strategic reorientation, the Australian government has responded to ensure that the RAAF remains at the forefront of capability and is capable of meeting the missions of a contested 21st century. 

Towards the future – Shape, deter, respond 

The 2016 Defence White Paper built upon the policy, force structure and capability models first established in the original 1986 Defence review, focusing upon providing niche air power, strike, ISR and air lift capabilities and securing the vaunted ‘SeaAir Gap’ under an emerging Australian strategic umbrella. 

As part of the government’s announcement of the 2016 Defence White Paper, the government embarked upon Australia’s largest single, air power transformation since the Second World War, supported by the introduction of key platforms, including: 

• 72 Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter as part of the $17 billion AIR 6000 Phase 2A/B program – which is aimed at replacing the ageing F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets that have been in service with the RAAF since 1985; 
• 12-15 Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and antisubmarine aircraft to replace the ageing fleet of Cold War-era Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft; 
• Seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high altitude, long-range unmanned aerial systems designed to operate in conjunction with the P-8A Poseidon; and 
• Upgrading Australia’s fleet of six Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning command and control aircraft. 

‘Next year we celebrate our 100 years of being an Air Force and I think we are … about the third-oldest Air Force in the world’ – Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld

The 2016 Defence White Paper was driven by the rapidly deteriorating geo-political, economic and strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific, characterised by six key drivers responsible for shaping Australia’s security environment to 2035, namely: 

• The roles of the US and China and the relationship between them, which is likely to be characterised by a mix of cooperation and competition; 
• Challenges to the stability of the rules-based global order, including competition between countries and major powers trying to promote their interests outside of the established rules;
• The enduring threat of terrorism, including threats emanating from ungoverned parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia; 
• State fragility, including within our immediate neighbourhood, caused by uneven economic growth, crime, social, environmental and governance challenges and climate change; 
• The pace of military modernisation and the development of more capable regional military forces, including more capable ballistic missile forces; and
• The emergence of new complex, non-geographic threats, including cyber threats to the security of information and communications systems.

Each of the objectives outlined in the original 2016 Defence White Paper are built upon in the government’s recently announced 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan, respectively, with government recognising the pivotal role airpower will play in the contest environment of the future. 

The RAAF has been the high profile recipient of many major capability developments in recent years, with the acquisition of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Super Hornets, Growler electronic attack aircraft and a range of support capabilities, this is something the government remains committed to as part of extending Australia’s capability in the Indo-Pacific. 

Further supporting the RAAF’s transition towards developing a fifth-generation air combat capability has also seen the Air Force acquire a range of next-generation, force-multiplying platforms, including the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning, command and control aircraft and the KC-30A multirole tanker transport aircraft, with a growing number of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft. 

Each of these platforms represents an equal measure of capability step change as the widely publicised F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler platforms, and is also supporting the introduction of autonomous platforms like the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton, highaltitude, long-endurance and MQ-9B Sky Guardian unmanned aerial systems. 

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, AO, DSC, explained the importance of the fifth-generation revolution currently transforming the RAAF, telling Australian Aviation, “I’m so thankful and privileged to lead an Air Force as we have and I gain the enduring legacy from those that came before me to deliver an Air Force with world-leading capabilities.

“The F-35 coming into service now as we continue to transition, we’ve got P-8s, E-7 Wedgetail, it’s truly a world-class Air Force. What that’s given me is really some luxury in time and ability to think about how I can better use that Air Force, how I can better integrate it as a part of our Joint Force and the capabilities that are represented by those platforms, supported by a very capable, intelligent, and skilled workforce, allows me to actually deliver airpower effects.” 

One of the primary focus points of the unprecedented level of modernisation and capability development transforming the RAAF is the focus on developing Air Force as a critical component of the ‘Joint Force’, a concept designed to have each of the respective branches of the ADF developing and operating complementary capabilities seamlessly in support of the tactical and strategic objectives. 

AIRMSHL Hupfeld adds, “So it becomes more about airpower and what Air Force does to deliver airpower into the Joint Force and so I’ve had to sit on my hands, certainly in the first six months or so of my tenure, to have a look at how I can make and use all of that, and make best use of the capabilities that have been passed to me, and shape our Air Force so that we can be successful to provide security for this nation, certainly now but also continue to shape it to develop that for the future. 

“And next year we celebrate our 100 years of being an Air Force and I think we are, some people would argue, the second-oldest Air Force, I think actually it’s about the third-oldest Air Force in the world. So, where we come from, where we’re going, and how we shape this Air Force to make it strong, capable, and useful for government for the next 100 years, that’s really what we’ve been looking at over the last 12 months or so.” 

Protecting Australia’s airspace and guaranteeing information and situational dominance 

Both JORN and the Air Force’s manned Growler, Peregrine and Sky Guardian RPAS fleets will be expanded to maintain Australia’s regional technological advantage and ensure that Australia’s strategic situational awareness remains peerless – these capabilities are expected to be supported by “ground control systems to enable situational awareness in heavily defended environments and/or where the electromagnetic system is contested by adversaries”.

The government has also committed to the “replacement and expansion of the airborne electronic attack capability upon the retirement of the EA-18G Growler to ensure Australia retains an advanced electronic attack capability”. 

Air lift and tanker capability will be supported by the planned expanded replacement fleet for the C-130J Hercules and KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft, respectively, and will see the introduction of additional C-17 heavy-lift aircraft and two additional KC-30As. 

The pursuit of an integrated air and missile defence capability will also take precedent as part of a joint development program with the US and will also see an upgrade to the E-7A Wedgetail AEWC aircraft ahead of a planned replacement: 

“In addition, plans for the E-7A replacement will now involve increasing the fleet to provide greater coverage of the highly-complex future air and joint-battlefield environment that will include a proliferation of autonomous systems and longrange and high-speed weapons.” 

Sovereign space capabilities will also see an extensive increase in capability, with the Prime Minister earmarking $7 billion to develop space capabilities to include “investment of around $7 billion in space capabilities over the next decade, which includes investment in sovereign-controlled satellites, will provide assured access to these services when needed”. 

This capability will support “satellite communications and position, navigation and timing data are essential for the command and control of deployed forces”. 

“These systems enable the sharing of real-time operational and logistical information and or the placement, navigation and synchronisation of Defence assets,” the government said. 

Additionally, Australia will expand its support of space situational awareness capabilities with the US to maximise the integration and capabilities of existing and planned space-based intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications capabilities in the increasingly contested space domain. 

‘The F-35 coming into service now as we continue to transition, we’ve got P-8s, E-7 Wedgetail, it’s truly a world-class Air Force’ – Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld

AIRMSHL Hupfeld expands on the growing importance of the space domain, telling Australian Aviation, “Certainly across the traditional airpower domain or air domain as we currently see it, but that is now expanding into the space domain as well so that’s a new area that’s opening up. 

“And certainly a lot of focus at the moment on Australian industry in space, the Australian Space Agency, for example, so working with them as well, so that we can understand where we can apply space capabilities and technology for what we need to do to secure the space environment.” 

Conclusions 

The full spectrum of air power and the multidomain aspects now including complex integrated air and missile defence systems, joint force command and control systems and the addition of the space domain into the tactical and strategic calculus facing the nation’s political and military leaders. 

One thing is certain, that as technology continues to evolve and shape both Australia’s regional neighbours and their respective air power capabilities, Australia’s own ‘world-class’ force will need to remain at the cutting edge of all facts of contemporary airpower, strategic lift and intelligence, surveillance and space-based awareness. 

The government’s new Force Structure Plan 2020 and 2020 Defence Strategic Update recognises the importance of Australia’s dependence upon the ocean and equal parts the benevolence of the surrounding Indo-Pacific nations and Australia’s independent capacity to protect its interests. 

Accordingly, the government’s $270 billion plan and the $75 billion worth of extra funding allocated to the RAAF seeks to maximise the capacity of the Air Force, both the manned, unmanned and growing fleet of autonomous platforms, and its emerging capabilities to actively defend the nation’s interests, but is it enough?