The Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUMELXXXIV
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THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE THE ROYAL THE JOURNAL OF The Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUME VOLUME LXXXIV May 2013 Volume LXXXIV Designed and Printed by Media Services, Serco UK & Europe, Royal Air Force Cranwell Foreword Air Commodore David Stubbs OBE ADC FRAeS RAF, Commandant Royal Air Force College elcome to the 2013 edition of the Journal of the Royal Air Force In addition to providing training, College personnel are also tirelessly WCollege. This is the first publication of the journal that I have working in support of operations, both overseas and in the UK. The presided over as Commandant of the College, and I am pleased to take campaign in Afghanistan is moving inexorably towards the withdrawal of this opportunity to illustrate the College’s ongoing and vital contribution combat forces, but the RAF will no doubt remain heavily committed for to today’s RAF. The Journal this year reminds us that, beyond the effects of some time in support of the nascent Afghan Air Force. Recent operations the most recent Strategic Defence and Security Review, our organisation in Libya and Mali have further demonstrated our ability to react rapidly, at has an exciting future. The collection of articles here demonstrate that the reach, in response to emerging global issues. We are always looking for ways Armed Forces are as relevant now as they ever have been, and the Royal to work smarter and, aside from the continued procurement of world-class Air Force, in partnership with industry, remains at the cutting edge of equipment and aircraft, we maximise the benefits of Intelligence to provide defence technology. It also underscores that an essential asset of the RAF warnings and indicators, operational analysis and targeting. These themes is our ability to attract, select and recruit sharp, intelligent minds to take are discussed in this edition by the Chief of the Air Staff. us forward and meet future challenges. I commend to you in particular the articles that analyse our history. History The College and our counterpart, the Recruit Training School at RAF Halton, offers examples of both good and bad leadership and thereby supports are both thriving, with numbers of recruits steadily rising again following the development of more reflective and effective commanders today. last year’s redundancies. As a direct benefit of financial constraints in the The importance of education for our leaders, from the first day of training wider economy, we are able to rigorously select high-calibre individuals. We to the last day of service is of paramount also continue to instruct leadership courses that are globally recognised as importance. I therefore wish to thank all among the best in the world. Here at Cranwell, the Recruiting and Selection the contributors to this 2013 edition of the organisation continues to recruit only those with the potential to complete Journal of the Royal Air Force College for the the arduous 30-week Initial Officer Training Course. In this Journal, we different perspectives they offer. I also wish hear the thoughts and opinions from a range of Officer Cadets currently to thank the Editor for his efforts in collating undergoing training. Officer education is now an integral part of officer a wide range of thought provoking articles. development; graduates of the College are expected to complete ‘through- Overall this Journal demonstrates that life’ education courses, beginning with the Junior Officer Development the College continues to train world class Programme. To this end, I welcome the contributions to this year’s journal officers who are prepared to meet the from the Defence Academy, our own Generic Education Training Centre, widest range of future challenges – I hope and the new academic partner for the College, Portsmouth Business School. you enjoy reading it. Editorial Flight Lieutenant Jim Smith BA (Hons) RAF, Flight Commander, D Squadron, Officer & Aircrew Cadet Training Unit y mission as an Initial Officer Training Flight Commander has been to Intelligence, and an OODA loop that rotates in minutes, not days. Aligned Mbring a sense of real-world leadership, operational future-focus, and to this, they expect stability of lifestyle, and a freedom to pursue personal an awareness of wider Defence issues, to our future leaders. In doing so, lives – how can the Royal Air Force offer all this to stay competitive in a I have discovered that the best leaders are those that can metaphorically global employment market? place themselves in the ‘shoes’ of their colleagues. In ‘leadership model’ terms, leaders ought to be considered as the tip of a triangle, but a triangle This year’s Journal carries all of these considerations in its theme. I have which is inverted. The leader is the single pivot upon which a team balances, compiled articles from across the spectrum of the Royal Air Force, from but the leader is there to underpin and support the team, not sit at the head; the Chief of the Air Staff to Officer Cadet alike. The focus is on the future, too much imbalance and the team will topple over. With this in mind, it is particularly in the light of the Strategic Defence & Security Review prudent for us all to consider the Royal Air Force from the perspective of 2010. We must understand the challenges of future diplomacy, conflict, a brand-new officer in 2013; the world is now extremely complex, and the economic influence, and the composition of our Armed Forces to meet challenges more difficult than might appear at first. the challenge. These articles are not just forward-looking for the sake of it – as a collection, they really do offer a clear sense of where we are going, The RAF maintains a depth of knowledge amongst our seasoned veterans, what we must achieve and how are adapting to achieve it. The Journal also ranging from the height of the Cold War, the Irish ‘Troubles’, the Falklands, the Balkans, and the inception of our Middle Eastern campaigns during includes the evolving contribution of Officer Education & Development. 1990-1991. But could those experienced officers, now our most senior As an Intelligence Officer and historian, I have also commissioned articles leaders, have foreseen the operational paths of my own generation, in that specifically serve to remind us of some relevant lessons of the past. the distant fields of conflict from Iraq to Afghanistan, from Sierra Leone If today’s operations really are Intelligence-led, these past lessons are to Libya, and on recent Anglo-French operations in Mali? The non-kinetic absolutely necessary. war of posturing, politics and proxy against the Soviet Union has long since I commend this year’s RAF College Journal given way to ‘anti-terror’ operations with a global reach. I wonder then, what as one of the most widely read publications challenges has this generation not yet envisaged for those whom will take in the Royal Air Force: it is received by all the Royal Air Force forward? stations, future officers, officers-in-training, These challenges aside, what of the individuals themselves? What has serving Air Officers, and former officers shaped these future officers, and what are their expectations, motivations represented by the Old Cranwellians’ and desires? It may come as a shock to meet officers who had not even Association. I wish to personally thank been born at the time of Operation Desert Storm, but they will find it this year’s contributors, whose work is the equally shocking to meet seniors that grew up in an age without the RAF College Journal; I expect your articles Internet, instant global communications, and a diverse range of social and herein will provoke discussion, debate and political media. Current officers face a world of lightning-fast interactions, deliberation across all quarters. Contents Foreword Editorial Contents In Memoriam.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Strategic Partnership For Air Power In The Future........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 RAF Officer Recruiting And Selection ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 A Bright Future For Airmen’s Education ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Leadership In A Changing World: SDSR 2010 And Leadership Education........................................................................................................................... 9 “Soldier First vs. Airmen First”: An Army Officer’s Perspective On Training At OACTU ..................................................................................................12 IOT – The Term 1 Perspective .............................................................................................................................................................................................................14 Evolving Operational Simulations – EXERCISE DECISIVE EDGE .............................................................................................................................................16