- Stepping Up to the Challenge
Chief of Air Force
By AVM Graham Lintott, Chief of Air Force
I thought it timely to write this month’s ‘First Word’ for a number of reasons. The year ahead promises to be one of the more challenging and exciting years in our history, as we implement significant technological, operational, and organisational change. It is also the last year of my leadership of the RNZAF.
Four years ago my predictions for 2010 would have included: completing the Introduction into Service of our new fleets of aircraft (B757, C-130 LEP, P-3K2, NH-90 and A-109 helicopters, and a new advanced pilot training aircraft); the Defence Funding Package would have allowed us to grow to the correct quantity and quality of people to conduct military air operations to the directed level; and that we would have been well on our way to instilling a culture of leadership, continuous improvement, and smart risk management at all levels throughout our Air Force.
We have certainly made great progress with our cultural change programme, and myriad examples of innovation and cost-effectiveness, from recruitment and training through logistics and operational support to operations, is testament to this.
Some of the other areas have not worked to plan so well—but that is life and we will adapt. The major capital acquisitions have all been delayed in their handover to us. While we have introduced an incredibly versatile military strategic airlifter—the modified B-757 capability—into service, we are still awaiting the rest. They are now all likely to arrive over the next year or so, and we will need to manage the huge task of conducting OT&E and introducing them all to service concurrently—we have a detailed plan for this but it will still be a major undertaking. The global economic recession also short-sheeted the Defence Funding Package, and rather than an increased operating budget we, like many others, are having to manage with less.
The excitement and challenge this year will come from the work resulting from the new capabilities and coping with the budget issue. It is going to be like the perfect storm where everything converges and rains on us heavily—and of course we will continue delivering military air operations at the same time. Our challenge is to manage the operations safely and professionally, introduce the C-130 LEP, P-3K2, NH-90 and A-109s into service, and cope with significant organisational change—implementing the Defence Review decisions and the Defence Transformation Programme initiatives. This is a ‘huge ask’ so we will need to perform to our professional best as individuals and as teams within ‘Team Defence NZ’ in order to achieve the goals being set for us.
It is not just the quantity of work that will challenge us—coping with transitioning from 1960s to 21st century technology at the same time as coping with changes to rank levels, trade groups, new organisational structures, doing business differently, and retraining and refocusing people, will stress and challenge us all at points along the way. We will need to be prepared to make some tough decisions. I am mindful of the ‘hurt’ that is out there but we need to recognise that future viability is fully dependent on us going through this very challenging phase.
It is not going to be easy over the next year, but we have people second-to-none, who are committed to serving our country and who demonstrate professionalism, integrity and teamwork in all that they do.
Importantly, we may well need the courage to stand up and say no—to stop doing some things. It is important for us to prioritise our work, so as to complete the important tasks without overloading ourselves and creating unsafe operations—we can never compromise safety to air operations. At the end of the day it is about all of us being individually accountable for our professionalism, it is about leading ourselves and each other, and about gaining each other’s trust and respect.
To do this job we need to stay fit. This includes maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle, and in particular it means looking after our families who provide us with such staunch and understanding support.
I look forward to writing my last ‘First Word’ as CAF in 12 months and reflecting on your admirable achievement!