With the development of hypersonic missiles—and ultimately aircraft—flying at several times the speed of sound, space-based systems, armed drones and uncrewed combat aircraft, the Royal Australian Air Force is fundamentally changing as it turns 100. Heavily involved in World War I as the Australian Flying Corps, the nation’s military aviators were part of the army until the RAAF was formed in March 1921.
RAAF chief Mel Hupfeld says the RAAF is the region’s most technologically advanced air force, but technology alone will not see it succeed.
‘We’ve spent the last two decades concentrating on expeditionary operations in the Middle East,’ says Air Marshal Hupfeld. ‘That’s no longer our strategic imperative through the lens of the defence strategic update. We need to further invest in airbases and to project air and space power into our region across “shape”, “deter” and “respond” [the update’s three strategic objectives]—and we need to do so every day from our national support bases.’...MORE
