The application of air and space power in furthering the effectiveness of the RAAF and wider ADO requires an understanding of the intricacies of air and space power that goes beyond training and doctrine. The Strategy section will evolve and manage a comprehensive plan to provide accurate and timely advice on all strategic air and space power issues to assist the senior decision-makers of the Service.
The Deputy Director-Air Power Strategy is the Air Force Headquarters (AFHQ) Air Power Strategist and is responsible for the development of air power strategy for the RAAF, and acts as the conduit through to the RAAF and the wider community to ensure aligned strategic engagement from the air and space power perspective.
The Engagement section is responsibe for the development and implementation of engagement and communications plans to ensure the wider understanding of air power within the Air Force, the Defence organisation and the wider community. The section is also responsible for strategic and business planning, and management of the Air Power Development Centre. This section also oversees the conduct of CAF Fellowships, administers Air Power Conferences, seminars and other events, and coordinates the production of APDC publications.
Air Power Development Centre Education Section has four primary roles:
- Provide content advice on the air power elements of PMET.
- Manage and conduct air power education that complements PMET.
- Monitor and advise on the delivery of air power education throughout Air Force.
- Support Defence and Air Force international engagement objectives by producing air power education to overseas students, organisations and institutions.
Additional information on APDC courses is available here.
We can be contacted via the group email box apdc.education@defence.gov.au
The Doctrine Section is concerned with the strategic dimensions of the Air Force's current approach to the generation and application of its air power. This section develops the RAAF's air power doctrine at the strategic level through the synthesis of historical analysis, current practice, and the confirmed results of experimentation with new concepts.
The Doctrine Section studies air power issues, papers and doctrine from a wide range of military partners and other agencies. These studies are aimed at positioning the foundations of the Air Force's air power to align with the demands of a whole of government approach to national security and to facilitate interoperability with allies and coalition partners.
The Doctrine section manages the production of Air Force's philosophical level doctrine and coordinates the input from various subject matter experts to produce material that will shape our Air Force's intellectual and operational air power employment.
- AAP 1000-D The Air Power Manual - sixth edition - was launched on the 12th of March 2014 at the RAAF Air Power Conference, celebrating a Century of Military Aviation in Australia. This is our capstone doctrine, describing the principles used by Air Force to generate, employ and sustain air power and how air power influences national security.
- AAP 1000-H The Australian Experience of Air Power - second edition - is the companion volume to The Air Power Manual. This concise document collates the key points of our air power evolution as our past informs our present and its lessons guide our future.
Air Force doctrine evolves as new knowledge and technology influence our capabilities. The Air Force has recently acquired a range of exciting capabilities to complement its proven ones. Capabilities mean nothing without the skills and intellect of a balanced, inclusive, workforce drawn from the Australian population. To ensure Air Force doctrine remains relevant throughout this evolution, the section works closely with the APDC's Education and Development sections.
Development Cell has a forward-looking remit and is principally concerned with identifying and exploring the potential impact of technological, strategic, societal, or environmental disruptors, innovations, and drivers on the future of Australian air power. The mission of the Development Cell is to improve the ability of Air Force to prepare for and adapt to change and potential disruption by promoting the development of creative and critical approaches to anticipating future changes in the tactical, operational, and strategic environments.
To achieve its mission the Cell conducts research into, provides seminars on, and facilitates workshops exploring a range of potential technological, strategic, societal, and environmental disruptors. innovations and drivers affecting the air and space domains. Topics range from the operationalising of hypersonics, to the potential effect of changes to the Antarctic situation, through to the impact of climate change. The output from these research and engagement efforts is the publication of a series of papers that explore the potential impact of various disruptors on Australian air power.