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GHANA ARMED FORCES COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE

SENIOR COMMAND AND STAFF COURSE 41

EX SOJOJIN SAMA

ASSESSING THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE CAPACITY

FOR AIR POWER PROJECTION

BY

SQN LDR UU AKEEL

GAFCSC
OTU BARRACKS
FEB 20 TESHIE

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SOJOJIN SAMA – SC 41

Feb 20 Teshie

ASSESSING ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE CAPACITY FOR AIR POWER
PROJECTION

INTRODUCTION

1. The invention of the aircraft in the 1900s facilitated the use of the medium of the air for
aerial warfare.1 However, the complexities of aircraft technology and warfare necessitated the
creation of independent air forces around the world. Following the creation of the Royal Air
Force in Britain in 1918, several countries established autonomous air forces, including New
Zealand.

2. New Zealand is located in the South Pacific Ocean with its capital at Wellington.2 The
Queen of England is the country’s head of state.3 The vicegerent of the Queen is the Governor-
General and Commander-in-Chief of New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), which evolved as
a corollary of the British Imperial Government in 1845. In the succeeding years, New Zealand
Army, (NZA), the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and the Royal New Zealand Air Force
(RNZAF) became independent armed services.

3. The emergence of RNZAF as an autonomous military service in 1937 under the Air
Force Act necessitated a Service restructuring. The Act tasked the RNZAF with the conduct of
aerial warfare and the responsibility for generation, employment and sustainment of air power.
Since its establishment, the RNZAF has had chequered wartime and peacetime roles. This
underscores the need to study the RNZAF in order to develop an appreciation of the capabilities
of the Force. Such a study has the potential to guide air force personnel on the informed use of
air power in warfare and peace-related activities. It is against this backdrop that a research into
the structure and capabilities of the RNZAF is necessary.

1. Haslam J, Giulio Douhet and the Politics of Air Power, Page 757.
2. CIA, World Factbook: New Zealand, 2020.
3. Ibid.

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AIM

4. The aim of this presentation is to assess the RNZAF capacity for air power projection
with a view to drawing lessons.

SCOPE

5. The presentation shall cover:

a. Defence Structure and Organisation of RNZAF.

b. Roles and Operational Deployment of the RNZAF.

c. Personnel and Equipment of the RNZAF.

d. Capabilities and Limitations of the RNZAF.

e. Lessons Learnt.

DEFENCE STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR

FORCE

6. Defence Structure of New Zealand. Within the defence structure, the Ministry of
Defence (MOD) is separate from the NZDF.4 Whilst the NZDF is headed by the Chief of
Defence Force (CDF), the MOD is supervised by the Secretary of Defence (SOD). Political
authority for the NZDF is provided by the cabinet and the Minister of Defence.5 New Zealand
adopts a three-Service defence structure comprising the NZA, RNZN and RNZAF.6 The three
Services are headed by the Chief of Army, Chief of Navy and Chief of Air Force respectively.
Operational control of all operational forces is vested in the Commander Joint Forces. Chiefs
of staff for each service are responsible for employing, training and ensuring the military
readiness of staff, but have no operational role. The respective Service Component Commander
exercises such control. An important component of the defence structure is Capability
Managing Board, which is responsible for the obtainment and disposal of military equipment.
All three arms of service are organised based on the perceived threats against the country. Thus,
the defence structure of New Zealand is set to combat any military threats against the country.
The organisational chart of the New Zealand defence is at Annex A.

4. NZDF, About Us, Page 2.

5. Ministry of Defence, Defence Capability Plan, Page 6.
6. NZDF, Introducing Defence: A Briefing Paper for the Incoming Minister, Page 14.

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7. Organisation. The RNZAF is organised into Main Headquarters headed by the Chief
of Air Force (CAF), who accounts to the CDF.7 Under CAF are Logistics Group, Operational
Support Group and Training Group. The Office of the Deputy CAF consists of Personnel,
Plans, Legal and Finance among others, while Logistics Group features Maintenance and
Aeronautical Engineering Wings among others. Within the RNZAF are six flying squadrons,
designated as Nos. 3, 5, 6, and 40, which are the Operational Squadrons, and Nos. 14 and 42,
which are the Training Squadrons.8 There is also the Central Flying School responsible for
training Flying Instructors. The RNZAF has three air bases located in Auckland, Oakhea and
Woodbourne. The location of the air bases was informed by the need to project air power
expeditiously across the country. Hence, the Air Force is organised to reflect the current air
power demands of New Zealand. Annex B features the organisational structure of the RNZAF.

ROLES AND OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE

8. Roles. The air combat role of RNZAF was abolished in 2001 by the New Zealand
Government, which effectively restricted the Force to transport and support roles. The current
roles of the RNZAF are provision of surveillance, strategic airlift and tactical airlifts as well as
naval combat support. These roles are congruent with the mission of the Service, which is “to
provide New Zealand with relevant, responsive and effective Air Power to meet its security
interests.”9 The RNZAF can be considered small in terms of its roles. However, the Service is
a high-profile organisation that complements the NZDF in achieving defence policy objectives.
The abolition of the air combat role of the RNZAF has made New Zealand unable to commit
air combat force in response to security challenges. Consequently, the air power roles of
RNZAF are constrained by the lack of air combat capability, which could present an exploitable
weakness to an adversary.

9. Operational Deployment. The RNZAF is currently deployed in several overseas

operations including one CH-47 Chinook helicopter pilot in Afghanistan under NATO
Resolute Support Mission. There is also logistics deployment to Antarctica involving over 200
personnel.10 The current deployment of RNZAF is informed by regional and global
commitments of the Government. However, the fulfilment of such obligations requires

7. APDC, Journal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Part B, Page 17.
8. RNZAF, Chief of Air Force 2020.
9. APDC, op cit, Page 10.
10. MOD, Deployments Maps, Page 2.

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investment in personnel and equipment, which the Air Force obtains through the NZDF. The
RNZAF achieves such feat after a periodic review of its extant resources and capabilities. Thus,
air forces could perform routine review of their airpower capabilities to identify strengths and
weaknesses for transmission to higher authorities.

PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT

10. Personnel. The RNZAF has 3 personnel categories, namely regular, reserve and
civilian. Currently, the regular force has 2,395 personnel, while the reserve force and civilians
are 207 and 270 personnel respectively.11 The current key personnel of the RNZAF are AVM
A Clark, Chief of Air Force, Air Cdre C Abraham, Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Cdre T
Walshe, Air Component Commander, and WO T Tate, WO of the Air Force. It is noteworthy
that recruitment into the RNZAF is open to all New Zealand citizens. Some of the careers in
the RNZAF are Pilot and Supply, with the former being the most prized career. Nonetheless,
to maintain camaraderie among personnel, the RNZAF stresses the equal value of all careers.
RNZAF personnel can rise to the highest rank and hold appointments without restrictions,
which improves morale and the overall capacity of the Force to project air power. Hence, air
forces can enhance personnel cohesion through an unrestricted career progression for all trades.

11. Equipment. The aircraft in the current inventory of the RNZAF could be grouped
into Naval Helicopter Forces (NHF), Maritime Patrol Forces (MPF), Fixed Wing Transport
Forces (FWTF), Rotary Wing Transport (RWTF) and Training Aircraft (TA). Under the NHF,
there are 10 x SH-2G(I) Seasprite Helicopters. The MPF have 6 x P-3K2 Orion, while the
FWTF feature 5 x C-130H (NZ) Hercules and 2 x Boeing 757-200. The RWTF has 8 x NH-90
Medium Utility Helicopter and 5 x A109 Light Utility Helicopter, while the TA are 4 x
Beechcraft King Air and 11 x Beechcraft T-6C Texan II.12 These aircraft are consistent with
the established air power roles of the RNZAF. The ability of the RNZAF to appropriately match
equipment with roles can be attributed to the general application of systems thinking to defence
systems.13 Thus, air forces could adopt the systems approach in the projection of firepower to
ensure the right systems are used to deliver the desired air power effects.

11. Brownlee, Defence White Paper 2015 Draft for Consultation, Page 27.
12. RNZAF, Chief of Air Force 2020.
13. Cavana, Boyd, & Taylor, A Systems Thinking Study of Retention and Recruitment Issues for the New
Zealand Army Electronic Technician Trade Group, Page 204.

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CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE

12. Capabilities.

a. Strategic Air Mobility. The RNZAF can deploy forces across maritime and
land spaces into potentially hostile environments.14 Such inter-theatre airlift is
important for humanitarian and disaster relief situations. An example of strategic airlift
undertaken by RNZAF is Logistics Deployment in Scott Base in Antarctica.15 About 6
x C-130 Hercules flights are provided for the Antarctic Operation, which is part of New
Zealand’s global commitment. Therefore, strategic air mobility could be crucial in
facilitating the projection of air power in fulfilling international obligations.

b. Tactical Air Mobility. The RNZAF has the capability to conduct tactical airlift
in support of land forces.16 The NH90 and A109 helicopters are used to deliver such
intra-theatre air mobility that comprises support for special operations and aeromedical
evacuation. An example of the conduct of tactical air mobility by the RNZAF is the use
of NH 90 Helicopter in operations in Afghanistan. Thus, tactical air mobility represents
an integral capability of the RNZAF, which could endure into the future capabilities of
the Force.

c. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. The RNZAF’s P-3K Orion

forms an integral part of the ISR capability, providing security and protection of New
Zealand’s border and Exclusive Economic Zone. In addition, ISR capability is
employed to conduct intelligence, surveillance and response in support of defence
operations. The P-3 Orion airborne surveillance and response aircraft work with other
ISR assets to provide wide-area surveillance and operate in direct support of deployed
land combat forces. Therefore, ISR is a critical capability of the RNZAF that could be
deployed variously in support of all military operations of NZDF.

13. Limitations.

a. Lack of Air Combat Capability. The RNZAF does not have an air combat
capability. This implies that the Air Force cannot undertake offensive air operations

14. APDC, op cit, Page 19.

15. MOD, op cit, Page 2.
16. Clark, Air Force or Air Corps, Page 15.

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against an adversary. Given the relevance of air combat capability in both conventional
and irregular warfare, the absence of such capability could be an exploitable weakness
of the RNZAF. Therefore, it is imperative for the New Zealand Government to consider
restoring the air combat capability of the RNZAF.

b. Inadequate Funding. Inadequate funding is a limitation of the RNZAF which

is often mentioned in the Service literature and communications. Defence budget is
frequently cut by New Zealand administrations, which inevitably affects the Air Force.
As a result, resources available to the Force are inadequate, making the discharge of
duties somewhat difficult. Thus, there is the need for air forces to be adequately funded
to enable them to achieve their missions.

c. Reliance on Overseas Supply of Aircraft. The reliance of RNZAF on overseas

supply of aircraft and spares is a serious limitation. The demerits of purchasing military
equipment from a second- or third-party nation include high purchasing cost and
security vulnerability, which could be injurious to national interest. Hence, air forces
could consider the domestic manufacture of military aircraft to preclude reliance on
foreign aircraft.

LESSONS LEARNT

14. Need for Periodic Review of Air Power Capabilities. An important lesson learnt from
the activities of the RNZAF is the conduct of periodic review of extant air power capabilities.
Air forces, especially in West Africa, could imbibe such routine review of capabilities in order
to identify strengths and weaknesses to be addressed.

15. Need for Unrestricted Career Progression. The need for uncapped career progression
is another lesson drawn from the RNZAF. All regular air force personnel should aspire to rise
to the highest rank in the Service without unjustifiable restrictions. Air forces could emulate
such non-restrictive career progression to elicit a sense of belonging among Service personnel.

16. Importance of Systems Thinking in Air Force Administration. The ability of the
RNZAF to appropriately match equipment with roles attributable to systems thinking is a vital
lesson. Air forces, especially in West Africa, could adopt the systems thinking approach in
Service administration to ensure the attainment of desired goals.

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CONCLUSION

17. Since its establishment, the RNZAF has had a chequered wartime and peacetime roles.
The defence structure of the country is developed in line with the anticipated military threats.
The RNZAF is organised to reflect the current air power demands of New Zealand. The Service
is headed by a Chief of Air Force assisted by a team of staff officers. (6 and 7)

18. The current roles of the RNZAF are surveillance, strategic and tactical airlifts. The
Force fulfils its operational obligation professionally in both local and global deployments. The
RNZAF achieves such feat after a periodic review of extant resources and capabilities to
identify strengths and weaknesses. (8 and 9)

19. RNZAF enhances esprit de corps among personnel by operating a non-restrictive career
progression for all specialties. The Service espouses the systems approach in the management
of the Service to ensure the use of the right systems to deliver desired outcomes. (10 and 11)

20. The capabilities of RNZAF include strategic and tactical air mobility exemplified by
the Chinook Helicopter Operation in Afghanistan. RNZAF is equally capable of ISR deployed
variously in support of all military operations of NZDF. The limitations of the RNZAF include
lack of air combat capability, inadequate funding and reliance of overseas supply of aircraft.
(12 and 13)

21. The lessons learnt are the need for periodic review of air power capabilities, need for
unrestrictive career progression, and importance of systems thinking approach in air force
administration. (14, 15 and 16)

UU AKEEL
Sqn Ldr
Student

Annexes:

A. Organisational chart of the New Zealand Defence Force.

B. Organisational structure of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

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REFERENCES

1. Clark, Andrew. 2002. Air Force or Air Corps: Does New Zealand Need an Independent
Air Force in a Joint Environment? Fairbairn: Aerospace Centre RAAF.
2. Hayward, Joel. 2009. Air Power, Insurgency and the “War on Terror.” Edited by Joel
Hayward. Cranwell: Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power Studies.
3. APDC. 2019. “Journal of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.” Wllington: RNZAF.
4. Cavana, Robert Y, David M Boyd, and Richard Taylor. 2007. “A Systems Thinking Study
of Retention and Recruitment Issues for the New Zealand Army Electronic Technician
Trade Group.” Systems Research and Behavioral Science 24: 201–16.
https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.
5. Haslam, Jonathan. 2012. “Giulio Douhet and the Politics of Airpower.” International
History Review 34 (4): 753–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/07075332.2012.690193.
6. ———. 2019. “Defence Capability Plan.” Edited by Ron Mark. Wellington: Ministry of
Defence.
7. Brownlee, Gerry. 2015. Defence White Paper 2015 Draft for Consultation. Edited by
Gerry Brownlee. Wellington: Ministry of Defence.
8. Ministry of Defence. 2001. “Review of the Options for an Air Combat Capability.”
http://www.defence.govt.nz/reports-publications/air-combat/desc-options.html.
9. NZDF. 2017. “Introducing Defence: A Briefing Paper for the Incoming Minister.”
Wellington: Ministry of Defence. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2017-
12/Defence.pdf.
10. ———. 2020. “About Us.” NZAF Website. 2020. Date accessed (31 January 2020)
http://www.nzdf.mil.nz/about-us/default.htm.
11. CIA. 2020. “World Factbook: New Zealand.” World Factbook. 2020. Date accessed (31
January 2020) https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nz.html.
12. MOD. 2020. “Deployments Map.” New Zealand Ministry of Defence. 2020. Date
accessed (31 January 2020)https://defence.govt.nz/what-we-do/diplomacy-and-
deployments/deployment-map.
13. RNZAF. 2020. “Chief of Air Force.” Air Force Website. 2020. Date accessed (31 January
2020) http://www.airforce.mil.nz/about-us/who-we-are/key-personnel/caf.htm.

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ANNEX A TO
SOJOJIN SAMA-SC 41
DATED FEB 20

ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE

Source: Jim Rolfe, 'Armed forces - Governance of the New Zealand Armed Forces', http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/diagram/35725/defence-organisation-chart (accessed 2 February 2020)

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ANNEX B TO
SOJOJIN SAMA-SC 41
DATED FEB 20

ORGANISATIONAL CHART OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE

Source: Clark, Air Force or Air Corps: Does New Zealand Need an Independent Air Force in a Joint Environment?, Page 21.

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