Balanced Command Envelope
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CANADIAN AIR FORCE LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND: THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE OPERATIONS Dr Allan English and Colonel John Westrop (retired) CANADIAN AIR FORCE LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND ISBN Number: D2-211/2007E-PDF 978-0-662-46410-5 This publication is available online at trenton.mil.ca/lodger/cfawc/index-e.asp on the intranet or www.airforce.gc.ca/CFAWC on the internet Art Direction by Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre Production Section. This study was prepared for the Canadian Department of National Defence but the views expressed in it are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the policy or the opinion of any agency, including the Government of Canada and the Canadian Department of National Defence © Her Majesty the Queen as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2007 ii THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE OPERATIONS TOC Table of Contents Foreword . vi Preface . vii Chapter 1 Introduction . .1 Chapter 2 Canada’s Air Force from its Beginnings to 1968: Leadership and Command Foundations for Expeditionary Operations . .4 Introduction . .4 The Origins of Canada’s Air Force . .4 The RCAF Second World War Experience . 22 The Post-War Years – 1945–1968 . 24 Conclusions . 28 Chapter 3 Unification and Canada’s Air Forces 1968–1975: The CF Air Element and the Fragmentation of Command . 31 Introduction . 31 Overview of Unification . 32 The CF Organizational Concept for Unification . 34 Unification and the CF “Air Element” . 35 Canadian Army Aviation . 36 Unification and Operational and Personnel Considerations . 40 The New CF Command Structure . 42 Unification and the Problems of the Air Element . 47 Corrective Measures – A Window of Opportunity . 49 Conclusions . 52 Chapter 4 Canada’s Air Force and Air Command 1975–2005: The Struggle to Centralize Air Force Command . 55 Introduction . 55 The Command and Control Structure of Air Command – The First 12 Years . 57 The End of the Cold War and the Evolution of Air Command’s Command and Control Structure . 60 Restructuring in 1993 – The Wing Concept. 63 Restructuring in 1997 – The MCCRT . 67 “The New World Disorder” and CF Air Force Operations. 74 Conclusions . 86 Chapter 5 Air Force Leadership: An Overview and Canadian Perspectives . 89 Context . 89 Differences in Leadership among the Army, Navy and Air Force . 92 iii TOC CANADIAN AIR FORCE LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND Applying Theory to Air Force Leadership Experience . .105 Addressing the Problem . .108 Chapter 6 Command and the Canadian Air Force . .110 Part 1 – Introduction . .110 Part 2 – The Historical and Theoretical Context . .112 The Origins of Some Terms Related to Command and Control . .112 New Ways of Thinking about Command, Control, and C2 . .116 Part 3 – Air Force Command in the 21st Century . .124 Command and Control Implications for Canadian Forces Air Expeditionary Operations . .124 Part 4 – Evolving Command and Control Concepts . .133 Networked Operations and Air Forces . .133 Rethinking “Centralized Command and Decentralized Execution” . .142 Part 5 – Concluding Material . .151 Key Issues in Air Force Command and Leadership . .151 The Future of Canadian Air Force Command and Control . .153 Chapter 7 Air Force Communities: Stovepipes and Subcultures . .156 Part 1 – Introduction . .156 Methodology . .161 Part 2 – Community Descriptions . .161 Aerospace Maintenance Community . .162 Factors that Affect Culture and Leadership in the Aerospace Maintenance Community. .167 Airfield Engineering Community. .169 Air Force Communication and Information Services . .175 Factors that Affect Culture and Leadership in the Communication and Information Services Community. .178 Air Force Military Police . .180 Air Mobility and Search and Rescue . .186 Fighter Force . .190 Logistics. .193 Factors that Affect Culture and Leadership in the Logistics Community. .208 Long Range Patrol Aircraft . .211 Maritime Helicopter . .215 Tactical Aviation . .220 Part 3 – Conclusions . .225 iv THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE OPERATIONS TOC Research Topics. .228 Glossary . .230 Abbreviations . .248 Selected Bibliography on the Canadian Air Force Leadership . .255 Biography. .266 v FORWARD CANADIAN AIR FORCE LEADERSHIP AND COMMAND Foreword Air forces are, by their very nature, technology oriented institutions that exist to exercise aerospace power on behalf of the nation over the entire spectrum of conflict. Yet, while it is true that advances in technology influence how air forces wage war, it is also true that wars are won or lost by people. History has repeatedly demonstrated that success or failure is largely determined by the judgement of commanders as well as the motivation and training of the airmen and women who answer the call to serve their nation. Thus, a sound understanding of the human dimension of air force operations in general, and specifically of air force command and leadership is essential to our future success. Much has been written on the subject of leadership and command over the years but it is only recently that published works have undertaken to treat the subject from a Canadian perspective. Of these, few have thus far undertaken to understand our unique air force culture, leadership styles and command concepts. This work, which is based on Defence Research and Development Canada research into the human dimension of expeditionary aerospace operations, seeks to begin to address this deficiency. The Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre was created in 2005 to ensure the evolution of aerospace power knowledge in Canada by becoming the engine of transformation for the Canadian Air Force. Accordingly, this book is published to further our understanding of a critical component of the human dimension of aerospace power–Canadian Air Force leadership and command. Colonel J.F. Cottingham Commanding Officer, Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre vi THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE OPERATIONS PREFACE Preface This book is based on a report written in support of the Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) project “The Human Dimension of the Expeditionary Air Force,” which is investigating the leadership and sustainment of teams in the Air Force. The project’s research is focussed particularly on those teams composed of individuals from different military occupations and from different backgrounds that are formed to conduct operations. It was decided to publish the report’s findings in book format to make them more accessible to: those interested in Canadian Air Force leadership and command: those writing doctrine; and those engaged in professional military education. Canadian Forces (CF) leadership doctrine, in Duty with Honour and Leadership in the CF: Conceptual Foundations, recognizes that, because of the unique physical environments in which the Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force operate, they each have a unique body of professional knowledge, experience, and, therefore, culture. Furthermore, it is recognized that the three Environments of the CF manifest certain elements of the CF’s ethos in different ways, for example, in leadership styles and command arrangements. Unfortunately for the Canadian Air Force, very little has been written about how its culture and professional working environment have influenced the development of unique Canadian Air Force leadership styles and command arrangements. At the start of this project, it was realized that in order to conduct this research a comprehensive understanding of leadership and command aspects of Air Force operations, both historical and contemporary, was needed because they helped to shape Air Force culture and identity. In turn, operations, culture and identity have influenced Air Force team and leadership structures, characteristics. Moreover, detailed information on Air Force team and leadership structures; the characteristics and tasks of the various Air Force communities; and an analysis of those factors that impact on Air Force operations, to include operations that are expeditionary, deployed and at static bases, was required to support this research. Therefore, this book was written to provide a description and analysis of these issues and it is designed to provide the foundation for understanding these issues and how they impact upon leading and sustaining teams in the Air Force today. Furthermore, many of the problems identified in this study were caused by a lack of coherent Air Force doctrine, particularly doctrine related to leadership and command and control. In order to effectively rectify these problems, Canada’s Air Force requires an overarching model of command and control, a detailed understanding of historical and contemporary models of air force command and control, and personnel with the ability to apply consistently modern theories of command and control. This book aims to contribute to this requirement by providing a foundation for debate and research in these areas. The authors are very grateful for the support and assistance of Dr Angela Febbraro of DRDC – Toronto and LCol Marty Playford 1 Canadian Air Division in the production of this work. Their contributions were essential to seeing this work come to fruition. Allan English John Westrop vii THE HUMAN DIMENSION OF EXPEDITIONARY AIR FORCE OPERATIONS CHAPTER 1 Chapter 1 Introduction At the beginning of the 21st century, the Canadian Forces (CF) is engaged in operations around the world on a scale and at a tempo that is extremely demanding for the CF. At the same time, the CF is undergoing a major transformation