Air Power: The man with air power | ADM Feb 2011
Nick Lee-Frampton | Wellington
Air Commodore Steve Moore joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in January 1976 and flew both the BAC-167 Strikemaster and the A-4K Skyhawk, as well as the UH-1H and UH-1N Iroquois in both the Middle East and Antarctica respectively.
Selected to be the project test pilot for the Skyhawk’s Kahu upgrade, he graduated from the UK’s Empire Test Pilots School in 1985 and more recently was Deputy Chief of the RNZAF prior to being appointed Air Component Commander (ACC) at Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand in July 2009.
We discussed what it means to be in the Air Force, to provide information, deliver firepower and mobility.
“See, move or engage is the easy way to put it. The RNZAF still do two of those three aspects of air power. Although you could say that the P-3 has an engagement component with torpedoes and depth bombs – and the Maverick armed Seasprite.
“So we do do a small part of the engage aspect. It would be nice to have a greater part, but two Governments have made decisions that … our Air Force will be what it is right now.
“As a nation we need both surveillance and reconnaissance, and air transport. They are both very important,” AIRCDRE Moore told ADM.
Like most militaries around the globe, the RNZAF faced budgetary pressures that affect how they do business, while still being to maintain the demands of government, their workforce and relevant skills.
“There is pressure on the budget and we have to be very conscious of every dollar that we spend. We also have to be conscious that we deliver military air operations and that’s what we as an air force are all about.
“In a financial year there are a number of variables which dictate changes to the budget through the year. But from my perspective you can’t let it dominate what you do. We are here to conduct military air operations, whatever form that might be.
“There is not much you can cut out. You could - although the Government probably wouldn’t allow it to happen - reduce the maritime patrols, for example.
“There’s also not much you can do as far as cutting our air transport assets. If we do cut then someone misses out, because we are always moving people and cargo around the place. Using commercial aircraft probably costs more than operating a 40 Squadron with their 757 or a C-130.
“With the helicopters, you can’t cut too much there without impacting what the Army do, or our support to the Police or Search & Rescue,” AIRCDRE Moore said.
The upgrade projects for both the C-130 and the P-3 fleets are running late; ADM asked how this has affected the fundamental inputs to capability that shape the RNZAF.
“It takes quite close management … and as a result the aircraft that are available to fly are being flown harder. That has its downside in that flying hours based maintenance comes around a lot quicker. The penalty, of course, is greater aircraft down-time and the increased maintenance costs - you are back to those budgets again.
“It is a fine balancing act to make sure the aircraft are available not only for a tasking but to keep the sustainment and generation of new crews coming and making sure all the crews have flown sufficient hours to remain safe and competent.”
AIRCRDE Moore pointed out another factor when it comes to the operational tempo of the service and what that means for both platforms and training.
“We can’t send a C-130 crew in to Afghanistan, for example, without making sure they have done an appropriate tactical build-up for that, so there is pressure on the fleets. And it’s the same with the rest of the squadrons - the P-3 and Seasprites in particular.”
But AIRCDRE Moore is expecting to see an increase in C-130 and P-3 hours in FY 2012-13. You can’t start operating the upgraded aircraft the moment they return home, he said.
“We have to go through an Operational Test & Evaluation (OT&E) process and part of that is crew training, making sure all our operating manuals are up to date with the new systems in the aircraft and that isn’t a short process … the ground crew have to be trained as well.”
ADM asked about progress with the P-3 Orion upgrade project, particularly with the air speed indicator giving a false reading. The upgraded Orions are due back in the first quarter of 2011.
“It is not the only issue stopping the prototype aircraft from being returned to NZ, it is just one of the issues. It hasn’t been fixed but we do have a known solution for it, via the US Coast Guard P-3. Their system is going to be fitted to our aircraft.”
AIRCDRE Moore revealed that RNZAF will have two crews doing OT&E on the P-3K2 aircraft once they are back in NZ. A balance would need to be maintained, he explained.
“As the legacy fleet slowly decreases and the P-3K2 increases, we have to maintain our operational outputs - particularly the EEZ and Southern Ocean patrols.”
Despite the issues that various upgrade programs have faced, there are many positives that AIRCDRE faces.
“The fact that even with the projects taking people and airframes away from operations, we are doing a heck of a lot of work out there. This year has been really busy for everyone, especially 40 Squadron. The demand for airlift far outstrips the assets that we’ve got, so the Boeings and the Hercules have been really busy.
“In addition, 5 Squadron has flown three times the number of SAR hours that we normally budget for. Same with the helicopters, they’ve been busy too. Even with the pressures we’ve got, the squadrons are out there delivering military air operations.”
AIRCDRE Moore expects the first of the RNZAF’s new helicopters early next year.
“Again, it will take some time for us to train both air and ground crews and with the NH90s especially it is going to be a very different way of operating helicopters compared to the Iroquois.
“When you sit in the NH90 cockpit you feel like you are sitting in an airliner rather than a helicopter. Because it is very new technology for us we will be making sure that we go slow enough to ensure the IIS (Introduction Into Service) is appropriately safe.”
ADM asked about the RNZAF’s strategic transport aircraft and where he sees the RNZAF heading in terms of platforms given the missions in place.
“We are getting good availability out of the 757s, we are learning a lot about them the more we use them,” AIRCDRE Moore said. “They were built to fly about 20 hours a day and of course we are not doing that and that has some ramifications in terms of engine maintenance and performance.
“They are no longer an airliner. With the cargo door and the freight floor, they are becoming a fantastic airlift asset for the country. But, of course, we do need to examine NZ’s future airlift requirements — as an overall capability package rather than platform specific airlift types.
“Some people would say the only replacement for a C-130 is another C-130, but there are some options out there. It is a total package as to what NZ’s airlift needs are and that could range from a twin-engined aircraft to go into some of the Pacific islands through to some larger types like the Airbus A400M or even the C-17, although the C-17 is probably too big an aircraft for NZ’s needs.”
AIRCDRE Moore said that UAVs are seen as a future RNZAF capability, particularly an option as replacement for P-3s in the maritime surveillance role.
“There are other areas where we could use them, particularly over-land surveillance for the Army. The Navy also has potential for UAVs, particularly on the patrol vessels.
“When it comes to P-3 replacement options, some people might look at UAVs as a replacement in toto, but you would have to be very careful there in terms of the other utility a P-3 brings. I don’t think a UAV can drop a Lindholm survival kit for example.
“We are looking at satellites, as well, for surveillance. We have produced a document called The Future Air & Space Operating Concept … so we are thinking in that dimension as possibilities for the future.”