Opinion: Building a ready and resilient RAAF

Australia must plan for the different future while readying to defend itself now

Australia, along with like-minded partners and allies across the region, is adjusting to new geopolitical realities. For Defence planners, that translates to a reduced warning time for any potential conflict. The strategic environment we currently face means Air Force needs to be more prepared to react than at any time since 1945.

For a large island continent, Australia has a relatively small population. Our Royal Australian Air Force is reflective of this. We have a permanent workforce of just over 15,000 high-calibre aviators spread across our great land. We operate exceptional capabilities, albeit in modest numbers. Our resource pool is finite, and air and space power capabilities – whether simple or complex – take time to procure, mature, and master. We must simultaneously optimise our present capabilities while preparing the capability we need for the future. It’s a complex balance presenting different risks over time – that’s why the Defence Strategic Review is so timely.