Air Power 2017

ADDRESSING 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGES

38 AIR POWER 2017 21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPS

Lord Trenchard

and Sir John

Slessor would be

amazed at the

level of situational

awareness a single

pilot in an F-35

Lightning has at his

or her fingertips

(PHOTO:

SAC TIM LAURENCE/

© CROWN COPYRIGHT)

by the US Air Force and we are looking closely at

hypersonic weapon systems. But, we are also extremely

conscious that the technological threats to our own

capabilities are advancing rapidly, too, and we have

already taken steps to see what can be done about

this. However, this new approach still has to be delivered

within existing budgets. Churchill’s assertion that

“Now that we have run out of money we have to

think” is an enduring challenge to capability

programmers. One of our responses to both the

challenge implied by the proposition and the

‘real world’ challenge facing us is the creation of

the RAF’s Rapid Capabilities Office. Their motto is

‘Explore, Expedite, Exploit’, and their vision is to

‘deliver a competitive edge to the warfighter’.

Rooted at the heart of this new organisation is the

need to challenge the process of how our capability

is delivered. It is still early days for this new team, but

the first results are encouraging and, as it examines

and challenges our current operating model, we will

ensure that these improved processes pervade the

wider acquisition system while being mindful of

the fact that these changes have to be delivered by

our best people. In the acquisition area, we need

the best and brightest individuals – people who,

when given a little room for manoeuvre, take

every opportunity and exploit their initiative to

deliver something that is greater than had originally

been asked for. This requires individuals with

energy, bags of initiative and, most importantly,

the courage to succeed and the desire to make a

difference. So, by understanding and harnessing

emerging technology and coupling it with radical

new processes to maintain our warfighting edge,

we are more than addressing the challenge.

OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

Mulling over the Trenchard-Slessor proposition

has made me even more determined to follow the

pathway, as drawn from the new RAF Strategy, to

deliver the next-generation Air Force. The future

success of our Service depends on us continuing

to do so, and I hope, as we move forward, we

will increasingly be able to talk of these new and

exciting opportunities for RAF air power.

We are extremely conscious

that the technological threats

to our own capabilities are

advancing rapidly, too