THE LINKDefence Logistics Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE

New Multi-Role HelicoptersFor The ADF

KC-30A: The Next Generation Tanker/Transport Aircraft

ISSUE 4 Oct 2008

to train, fi ght and win

strengthening communication along the logistic chain

LOGISTICS

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THE LINKDEFENCE LOGISTICS MAGAZINE

The Air Force’s C130 Hercules are now in their

50th year of serving Australia. The Army’s Iroquois

– the ‘Hueys’ – provided the soundtrack to the

Vietnam war and the Sea Kings have been an

integral part of maritime support. Operations and

exercises alike depend on support from the air.

The various aircraft operated by Navy, Army and

Air Force provide logistics capability to deliver

personnel, materiel and supplies where they are

required in a timely manner. This issue of The Link

focuses on the aviation aspects of Defence logistics.

Looking to the future, the Australian Defence

Force has now taken delivery of all four capacious

Globemaster C-17A aircraft and these are serving

us well in the MEAO. Soon we will see the new

KC-30A multi-role tankers in our skies and there

will be replacement helicopters for a number of

the existing squadrons in the three services.

These new capabilities will continue to reinforce

the outstanding role of aviation in logistics

support of our servicemen and women.

The Link is published twice annually in hard

copy and online. Its purpose is to publish articles

that add to the logistics body of knowledge and

inform the Defence and wider community of the

role of logistics and logisticians in achieving the

ADF’s mission.

I thank the contributors to this issue of The Link

and invite readers with an interest in Logistics

Transformation to look out for the next issue or,

better still, submit an article for publication.

Regards,

Major General Grant Cavenagh,

Commander Joint Logistics

Logistics Planning—The wisdom to realize when working on plan A, you’ll run into conflicts in executing plan B and being properly prepared, and successfully executing plan E.

Capt John P. Laverdure, Scott Air Force Base, HQ Air Mobility Command, 1996

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The Link is published twice yearly by Headquarters Joint Logistics Command.

The Link : Defence Logistics Magazine is a professional logistics journal published twice annually in hard copy and online by Joint Logistics Command.

Its objectives are:

• To publish articles in engaging, non-technical language that add to the logistics body of knowledge, and enhance the profession of logistics and the image of logisticians

• To inform the Defence and wider community of the strategic role and scope of logistics in supporting operations and the raise, train, sustain functions of the Australian Defence Force

• To reinforce the harmonisation of all aspects of logistics that enable the Australian Defence Force to train, fight and win

• To highlight advances and achievements in Defence logistics

Submissions for The Link are most welcome. Writers’ guidelines are on the Joint Logistics Command intranet site or can be requested from the editor.

The views expressed in The Link are the contributors and not necessarily those of Joint Logistics Command or the Department of Defence.

Editor: Ms Terry Foster Headquarters Joint Logistics Command CP4-2-011 Campbell Park Offices Department of Defence Canberra ACT 2600 Tel: 02 6266 4538 Email: JLC.communications@defence.gov.au

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THE DEFENCE BuSINESS MODEL 2

MAINTENANCE ENHANCEMENT PrOjECT DELIvErS FOr uNITS 3

ExPLOSIvE OrDINANCE BrANCH—On Time And On Target 6

IrOquOIS: HErOES OF vIETNAM 8

FLEET uTILITy 11

AIr LOGISTICS TO THE MIDDLE EAST 13

A quESTION OF BALANCE: LOADMASTErS IN THE rAAF 15

KC-30A: THE NExT GENErATION TANKEr/TrANSPOrT AIrCrAFT 18

jOINT LOGISTICS uNIT (SOuTH): A PrOFILE 20

HOOrAy FOr HErCuLES—50 years Of Serving Australia 21

NEw MuLTI-rOLE HELICOPTErS FOr THE ADF 23

HOMEwArD BOuND AND THE BASEL CONvENTION 25

C-17A: THE HEAvy LIFTErS 27

COMPLIANCE AND ASSurANCE—Defence Accounts in Good Shape 28

ACCELErATED INvENTOry OPTIMISATION PrOGrAM 30

jOINT ELECTrONIC FuEL MANAGEMENT PrOjECT 31

DLC uPDATE 34

CONTENTS

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KTHE DEFENCE BuSINESS MODEL

Major General Grant Cavenagh Commander Joint Logistics

Defence logisticians undertake activities across

disparate and challenging environments and within

a wide range of organisational contexts all focussed

on supporting the warfighter. The challenges

associated with delivering consistent quality logistic

outcomes under these conditions are immense

and are amplified by the very size of the Defence

organisation itself.

The Defence Management Review Team was

established in August 2006 to undertake a detailed

examination of the organisational efficiency and

effectiveness of the Defence organisation

As a consequence of the Defence Management

Review, work commenced on redefining the

relationships, responsibilities and processes within

Defence culminating in the launch of the Defence

Business Model in July 2008. It forms the critical

plank in the Defence reform agenda.

Importantly for Defence logistics, the Defence

Business Model clearly articulates the

responsibilities of logistics—enabling agencies

who contribute to the planning and conduct of

operations and identifies VCDF (CJLOG) as the

Defence-wide Business Process Owner (BPO)

for logistics. This latter role, combined with my

existing responsibilities as the Strategic J4 and Joint

Logistic Capability Manager, complete the trifecta of

accountabilities I see as essential for the delivery of

cohesive logistic outcomes across Defence.

Key logistics business processes have been

identified within the horizontal Logistics

Management element of the Defence Business

Model. These processes are applicable across

all Defence enabling-agencies and will ensure

the common application of logistic procedures

relating to:

• Storage,distribution,accounting,

management and disposal of inventory

items and including the transactional activity

undertaken within logistics information

systems and logistic assurance

• Explosiveordnancemanagementand

accounting

• Development,acceptanceandsustainment

of logistic information systems

• Development,clearanceandpublicationof

defence logistic doctrine, policy and procedures

• Logisticinputstothecapabilitydevelopment

process

• LogisticSkilling

• Internationallogisticrelationships,arrangements

and agreements

• Nationallogisticarrangementsandagreements

We are clearly in the early stages of implementation

of the Defence Business Model and the business

processes. I see the Logistic Management business

processes as a significant step towards overcoming

the challenges associated with delivering consistent

logistic outcomes across Defence.

I am confident that the clear identification of

accountability and responsibility, both for business

processes and enabling organisations, will deliver

an enduring reward—improved logistic capability,

capacity and cohesion.

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JOINT FORCE CAPABILITYApplication: operations, support to civil agencies, shaping and engagement

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INTELLIGENCE & SECURITY SERVICES

BUSINESSPROCESSES

ADVICE

Defence Business ModelINTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENTDefence diplomacy

SustainmentCEO DMO

MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATES

ASSURANCE

INTERNAL AUDIT

REVIEW

EVALUATION

INVESTIGATIONRECRUITING FOR THE ADF DEPSEC PS&P

GOVERNANCEResponsibility of all

PERFORMANCE CONFORMANCE

GOVERNMENT POLICY

LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

PLANNING & CONDUCT OF OPERATIONS CJOPS

Financial ManagementCFO

People ManagementDEPSEC PS&P

Logistics ManagementVCDF (CJLOG)

Business ManagementDEPSEC DS

Supplier ManagementCEO DMO

Knowledge ManagementDEPSEC SCG

External Stakeholder Management DEPSEC SCG

Change ManagementDEPSEC SCG

Risk ManagementDEPSEC SCG

Security ManagementDEPSEC IS&IP

POLICY & GUIDANCEstrategic DEPSEC SCG, financial CFO, joint capability management VCDF, preparedness management VCDF, people DEPSEC PS&P, workforce DEPSEC PS&P,

ICT strategy & architecture CIO , procurement CEO DMO, industry CEO DMO, security DEPSEC IS&IP

Security Services

DEPSEC IS&IP

Intelligence Raise, train,

sustainDEPSEC IS&IP

International Policy

DEPSEC IS&IP

Joint Professional Education &

TrainingVCDF

ArmyRaise, train,

sustainCA

NavyRaise, train,

sustainCN

Air ForceRaise, train,

sustainCAF

Capability Development

CDG

Logistics Support

VCDF (CJLOG)

ICT Systems

CIO

Support Services

DEPSEC DS

InfrastructureDEPSEC DS

Science & Technology

CDS

Military Strategic Effects &

CommitmentsVCDF

DEFENCE CULTURE & LEADERSHIP

AcquisitionCEO DMO

RESPONSIBILITY

STEWARDSHIP

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

REPORTING

ACCOUNTABILITY

CONTROL FRAMEWORK

REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

ROLES

RISK ASSESSMENT

MAINTENANCE ENHANCEMENT PrOjECT DELIvErS FOr uNITS

Lieutenant Colonel R.D. Critchley SO1 Maintenance Policy & Process Directorate of Technical Regulation – Army

When your business is maintenance and there is

always equipment to maintain, putting the right

systems in place is the key to success. Sometimes

new systems are needed and sometimes you need

to use the existing ones better.

The Maintenance Enhancement Project (MEP)

was initiated jointly by Army and the Joint Logistic

Command to address shortcomings in the existing

maintenance system. The project aims to improve

how the MIMS Maintenance Module (MMM) is being

used, restore confidence in the value of automated

data and optimise the use of the MMM scheduling

functionality. The end result will be more efficient

servicing and maintenance of vehicles.

The MEP is now rolling out across all Army units and

Joint Logistics Command’s Business Units (JLUs).

A key feature of the project is the onsite mentoring

program designed to assist workshop managers

to better understand their role in the maintenance

process and improve their MMM competencies.

Specifically, the onsite program helps units set

up MMM’s automated maintenance scheduling

function – Maintenance Schedule Tasks (MSTs) –

for their A and B vehicle fleets. Through mentoring

and coaching, units are then able to use their skills

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Standard Jobs.

The implementation of the MEP at 4th Field

Regiment (4 Fd Regt) in Townsville came at a

particularly busy time. Not only were several

elements of the Regiment on operational

deployments, but also maintenance personnel were

busy preparing for the 3rd Brigade’s Combined

Arms Training Activity for 2008 (CATA 08) with their

efforts directed towards identifying, locating and

servicing the vehicles allocated to the Exercise.

While preparations for the Exercise were the

workshop’s top priority, the team at 4 Fd Regt

were keen to improve the operational availability

of unit equipment by improving their maintenance

processes by transitioning to MSTs.

Using MSTs helps units tip the balance from

reactive breakdown maintenance to proactive,

preventative maintenance by allowing units to

forecast scheduled maintenance up to 15 months

in advance. By helping units to plan their

maintenance activities, the MEP ultimately aims

to increase the operational availability of Army

equipment for operations and exercises.

“Before the MEP, we relied on other units bringing

their vehicles in for servicing at the correct time,”

Tanya Bell, a Production Clerk at 4 Fd Regt in

Townsville said. “We used a whiteboard to monitor

upcoming scheduled maintenance, but it wasn’t

reliable enough. We found that far too many jobs

were coming in at the same time and we were

getting behind. That just wasn’t feasible with so

many people on deployment or courses.”

“Fortunately, the MEP team was able to work flexibly

around our preparations for CATA 08, so we were

able to take the time to learn how to use MMM

more effectively. We expected that we would begin

seeing the benefits of the MEP flowing through to

the workshops after six to eight months, so we were

surprised when we were able to use the methods

introduced by the MEP team to get vehicles

serviced for the Exercise.”

At the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

(5 RAR), where 16 maintenance personnel

manage a total of 120 vehicles, forecasting their

maintenance liability 15 months in advance has

helped the ASM identify intense periods of activity.

“Over the years, our method of manually managing

maintenance has resulted in log jams where we find

ourselves doing 20 major services on M113s in a

single month,” WO1 Brian Bosworth, ASM 5 RAR

explained. “As a result of the MSTs being loaded

into the system, we can now look forward and plan

for those intense periods or shift work to meet the

unit’s needs. Of course we could do this before

using spreadsheets and whiteboards, but having

the MSTs allows a much more flexible, and hopefully

less labour intensive, method.”

To enable the use of MSTs, teams in each location

completed the data entry activities necessary for

units to use the MMM scheduling functionality.

So far, the MEP onsite teams have loaded more

than 3,500 MSTs into MMM.

The MEP is also busy working with JLUs, who play

a key role in the maintenance process. During the

initial rollout, the MEP developed a JLC business

model to help Army and the JLUs better understand

how their maintenance activities interface. Now that

JLC business processes have been documented,

MEP mentoring teams are completing onsite

activities with JLU staff and dependent units to

smoothly implement MSTs for unit vehicles serviced

within JLUs.

To maintain the benefits of the MEP after onsite

activities have finished, the project has developed

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a range of process support tools available to all

units. These include a Maintenance Management

Process Model, which was developed to

promote a standardised maintenance process,

and a Maintenance Performance Improvement

Tool (MaPIT) that aims to promote continuous

improvement. The MaPIT is set to be trialled in

selected units before being rolled out more widely.

Back at 4 Fd Regt in Townsville, where staff were

looking forward to reaping the long-term benefits

of switching to MSTs, the short-term impact of the

MEP speaks for itself.

“We didn’t really expect that having the MEP team

come through and set up scheduling for us would

help us with our top priority at the time, which was

servicing the vehicles needed for CATA 08,” Tanya

Bell said. “But we found that having our monthly

schedule in front of us allowed us to prioritise our

work. It helped us see the big picture and we

were able to get all the vehicles needed for the

exercise serviced.”

“We now have more control over when servicing

happens and can manage our workload more

effectively. In just one month, we are already

reducing our backlog and we’ve done all this

month’s servicing without asking other areas

for support.”

AT A GLANCE: THE MEP’S KEY ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE

• ImprovedMMMdataintegrityby

loading more than 3500 Maintenance

• ScheduledTasksfor46units

• IncreasedMMMcompetencyby

providing coaching for equipment

operators

• CreatedaMaintenanceManagement

Process Model and multimedia

support tools to promote a

standardised maintenance process

• Developedacompliancetoolto

sustain the improvements

• DevelopedaJLCBusinessModel

to foster an understanding of JLC

business processes

• ImproveduseofMMMwillultimately

provide improved information to

support decision-making and improve

the operational availability of Army

equipment.

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Directors, Explosive Ordnance Branch, Joint Logistics Command

Explosive Ordnance and Weapons (EOW) is a topic

that creates general excitement! In comparison, the

mention of governance of EOW tends to make all

but the keenest eyes glaze over. Governance in this

case is identifying the possible risks associated with

EOW, then putting in appropriate controls to make

sure these arrangements place the right amount

of EOW into the right hands, in the right place, in

the right condition, and at the right time for the

Australian Defence Force to conduct its operations

and activities.

However if these governance arrangements are

not in place and operating as planned, then safety

of our personnel and the community, and the

reputation of Defence is at risk.

Following the theft of a number of rocket launchers,

Defence conducted an exhaustive security audit

of its weapons, munitions and explosive ordnance

in 2006/07. This audit, and the subsequent

review of Defence policy and procedures for the

management of Explosive Ordnance (EO),

identified a number of areas where Defence

could implement improvements.

The review recommended that in his capacity as

Joint Capability Manager, the Vice Chief of the

Defence Force, through Commander Joint Logistics

be the single point of accountability to ensure the

efficient and effective management of the Explosive

Ordnance domain.

Overseeing governance of EOW is just one of

the responsibilities of AIRCDRE Bill Hayden, the

Director General Explosive Ordnance Branch in

Joint Logistics Command, established following

recommendations of Defence reviews of

management of EOW.

The new branch brings together the existing

Directorate of Ordnance Safety, Directorate of

Explosive Ordnance Services and Joint Proof and

Experimental Unit and complements their extensive

technical expertise with a new Directorate of

Explosive Ordnance and Weapons Governance.

One of the governance issues faced by the new

branch is not a lack of policies—the reality is quite

the opposite. Bringing all of these governance

requirements into a single, cohesive framework,

and ensuring they are effective, efficient and being

complied with, is a major undertaking and has

been tasked to the new Directorate of Explosive

Ordnance and Weapons Governance. Once

developed and in place, the new framework

will assist the various stakeholders by ensuring

clear lines of accountability and consistency

are established for the whole EOW life cycle

within Defence.

The smooth, coordinated operations of the new

branch were recently demonstrated when Capability

Manager for 81mm mortar (Chief of Army) directed

introduction of US-sourced 81mm ammunition.

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Between the purchaser of the new ammunition,

Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and the end

user, Army, there are a series of mandatory steps to

ensure legal compliance and provide confidence the

ammunition can be used safely.

Not surprisingly there was pressing need for the

new mortars, so DMO promptly placed the order

with the US-supplier whilst the combined efforts

of EOB were engaged to ensure all of the correct

processes were implemented. The key steps

involved in introducing this new ammunition to

service were:

• DirectorateofExplosiveOrdnanceServices

(DEOS) arranged for the necessary licences

and permission to land and unload a C-17A

with a large volume of ordnance to be in place

in accordance with the Defence publication

DEOP103 and all involved knew what was

required;

• Theimportationmetthestringentrequirements

of the Australian Customs Service and the

Australian Quarantine Inspection Service;

• Thenewmortarammunitionwassafely

unloaded and transported by DEOS and

Defence contractor Thales to a secure Defence

EO depot;

• Themortarammunitionwasassessedfor

Ordnance Safety – S3 (see inset);

• Rigoroustesting,bothmannedand

unmanned, was conducted to ensure the

mortar ammunition was safe to handle and

fire and the ammunition performed technically

as expected; and

• Thefinalstagewaspresentationofevidence

that demonstrated the new ammunition was

ready for use having met all the technical

integrity requirements, including safety, to

the satisfaction of the independent Ordnance

Safety Review Board.

In response to Army’s immediate requirement for

the new mortar ammunition, Explosive Ordnance

Branch pulled out all stops. Remarkably from the

time the C-17A first landed in Australia to when

certification was approved took just one week.

It is great when a plan comes together.

Mission completed successfully!!

Testing

Testing of EOW is the core business at

Defence’s Joint Proof & Experimental

Unit sites. A sample of the imported

mortar ammunition was sent to the test

establishment, where unmanned firing of

all of the new 81mm type ammunition took

place. These tests were undertaken to

determine firstly, that the rounds were safe

to handle, and secondly, safe to fire. Testing

of the ammunition was performed under

extreme temperatures, both high and low.

Once the ammunition had passed all of the

required unmanned tests, manned firing

tests were used to confirm that the rounds’

trajectories matched the range tables for the

ammunition. It was only after thorough testing

that the ammunition was considered ready for

operational use.

Ordnance Safety - S3 - Safety & Suitability for Service

The Directorate of Ordnance Safety (DOS)

is primarily concerned with the S3 aspects

of EO, Safety and Suitability for Service.

Assessment of safety involves appraisal

of the ammunition’s design, evaluating the

risks of deploying the item in prescribed

environments throughout its anticipated

service life and the acceptability of this risk

in meeting the operational requirement.

‘Suitability for service’ requires evidence

the ammunition or associated elements

of a weapon or equipment are capable

of functioning as designed and will not

be unacceptably degraded by the service

environments encountered throughout the

anticipated service life.

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Explosive Ordnance Design Assessment

Certification of an item of EO for ADF use is based upon the engineering rigour of arguments presented

in an Explosive Ordnance Design Assessment (EODA). The EODA certifies that technical integrity

requirements, including safety and testing, have been met.

Munitions Branch in DMO’s EO Division presented their EODA 81mm mortar ammunition to DOS for

independent review by the Ordnance Safety Review Board (OSRB). The OSRB conducted an independent

review and in this case was satisfied with the EODA and provided its endorsement for operational use of

the ammunition.

IrOquOIS: HErOES OF vIETNAM

Dr Chris Clark Office of Air Force History

Late in the afternoon of 18 August 1966, the

atmosphere within the newly-constructed Australian

base at Nui Dat, South Vietnam, was electrified

by news that a company of 6 Battalion, Royal

Australian Regiment (6 RAR) was heavily engaged

in a rubber plantation four kilometres from the base

perimeter. A short time after what quickly became

famous as the Battle of Long Tan had begun, the

108 men of D Company were desperately fighting to

repel an enemy force later assessed as numbering

about 2500 men. Against such overwhelming odds

the Australian infantry could do little more than

withdraw into a defensive position, shielded from

the enemy attack by blinding rain and supporting

artillery fire from the Task Force base.

At the height of the three-hour action, an urgent

radio request was received from the beleaguered

company position for a resupply of ammunition.

Out among the rubber trees the diggers were

getting down to their last rounds. Two UH-1 Iroquois

helicopters of No 9 Squadron, Royal Australian

Air Force, were soon in the air and headed east at

tree top level, despite the torrential rain and failing

light. By 1800 hours, the aircraft arrived overhead

of D Company’s headquarters and began dropping

ammunition boxes (wrapped in blankets to cushion

their fall) through the trees to the men below.

This was a critical juncture in the battle, as by then

there was within the entire company no more than

100 rounds left to fire at the surrounding Viet Cong.

Within the Australian experience of operations

during the Vietnam War, there was no demonstration

of the value of helicopters in resupplying troops in

the field as dramatic as that afforded at Long Tan.

It was a surprisingly early instance as well, coming

barely two months after the Australian Task Force

Troops of B Company 7 RAR unload rations and supplies in a jungle clearing during Operation COOpAROO, June–July 1967.

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arrived in South Vietnam and commenced setting

up its operational base in the centre of Phuoc Tuy

Province. Even so, it was not the first time that

the RAAF Iroquois had been called on to provide

direct logistic support to the infantry. The very first

occasion had actually come on the day after 9

Squadron’s main party arrived in-country in June,

when the unit received an urgent request to deliver

ammunition to Nui Dat for the newly-arrived 5 RAR.

Despite still being in the process of assembling

most of its aircraft and establishing its own base,

the mission was accomplished.

Utilising helicopters added a whole new dimension

of speed and mobility to the age-old problem

of maintaining adequate logistical supply on the

battlefield. The concept was not completely new,

however, even within Australia’s small armed forces

of the period. Although the Iroquois had entered

service with the RAAF only in late 1962, in May

1964 four of these aircraft from No 5 squadron were

deployed to Malaysia. There the Air Force gained

valuable experience in providing support for army

counter-terrorist operations close to the Thai border,

by positioning patrols and resupplying troops in

remote locations―though never in situations where

they were at risk from enemy ground fire.

It was in Vietnam that the Iroquois demonstrated

both its value in delivering men and supplies at the

‘pointy end’ of operations and also its immense

vulnerability when used in this way. On 29 July 1967

the RAAF had its first member wounded in action,

during a resupply mission. When enemy gunfire

hit the cabin of the Iroquois making the delivery,

a number of empty jerry cans were blasted out of

the helicopter―including the can on which an army

Warrant Officer happened to be sitting. Although the

army man was uninjured, the RAAF crewman was

not quite so lucky, receiving a fragmentation wound

in the leg.

In the complex environment of Vietnam, resupply

missions were rarely routine. For example, during

one mission in March 1971 to deliver stores and

ammunition to South Vietnamese regional forces

in the Long Hai hills, an army officer, Captain John

Hartley, went along as liaison officer and to assist

with free-dropping the stores. When the aircraft was

heavily engaged while hovering, both Hartley and

the crewman in the cabin were seriously wounded,

and both pilots had close shaves from bullets which

flicked their clothing or struck body armour. The

aircraft itself was badly damaged and forced to

land after managing to move 3000 metres away,

from where the crew were subsequently rescued.

Artist Bruce Fletcher’s painting of Long Tan in the Australian War Memorial portrays the aerial resupply of D Company with a blanket-wrapped box of ammunition being lowered from above. In reality, the boxes were free-dropped from 30 feet.

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Hartley survived his injuries to become Deputy Chief

of Army and then Land Commander as a Major

General in the 1990s.

Being employed close to operations meant,

inevitably, that resupply missions would sometimes

be fatal. During Operation Overlord in June 1971,

Iroquois A2-723 crashed and was destroyed by

fire. While two of the crew escaped with relatively

minor injuries, the aircraft’s captain, Flight Lieutenant

Everitt Lance (a veteran of the Korean War with

service in both the South African and Canadian

air forces), and the gunner, Corporal David Dubber,

were both killed. By the time 9 Squadron was

withdrawn from Vietnam at the end of 1971, the unit

had seven of its helicopters destroyed or written off

and another 37 damaged, 23 by ground fire.

Although the Iroquois proved a valuable delivery

vehicle in the logistical supply chain, it was not

ideally suited for this role―at least in the ‘Bravo’

model of the UH-1 with which 9 Squadron was

initially equipped. The small size of the aircraft’s

cabin and also its less powerful engine meant that

the UH-1B had fairly limited carrying capacity,

especially with the in-theatre requirement to carry

two side-door gunners as additional crew. Further,

9 Squadron in 1966 had only eight aircraft on

strength in total, of which only six would normally be

available at any one time. In these circumstances, it

was clearly the capacity to make timely and difficult

deliveries, rather than getting in large quantities, that

really mattered.

This situation was radically changed in 1968,

after the Australian government added a third

battalion to its Task Force in Vietnam and also

doubled the number of helicopters on 9 Squadron’s

establishment. What was more, these aircraft were

now all upgraded to the newest ‘Hotel’ model of the

Iroquois design. These were stretched ‘versions’

of the B model, and were not only bigger but

also more powerful and faster, with twice the lift

capability. Once the new UH-H aircraft arrived, and

in double the original quantity of UH-1Bs, the lift

capacity of 9 Squadron effectively quadrupled.

In Vietnam, therefore, the Iroquois became a

defining factor in the way in which all Allied

ground forces operated. The fact that troops on

operations could be sustained with the supply of

their requirements in the field―rations, fresh water,

ammunition and replacements for damaged vital

equipment such as radios―all contributed to enabling

those troops to remain effective in operations for

longer than would otherwise be possible or militarily

prudent. Of all the statistics recorded among

9 Squadron’s achievements in Vietnam―sorties

flown, passengers carried, etc―the importance

of the nearly 12 000 tons of freight delivered by

Iroquois helicopter should never be overlooked

or underestimated.

Images courtesy of the Australian War Memorial

A supply helicopter delivers fresh water to Fire Support Base ‘Balmoral’ hours after the base was attacked on 26 May 1968

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FLEET uTILITy

Lieutenant Angus Hamilton, RAN Flight Commander, 817 Squadron Flight 2

Maritime support is not the most overtly glamorous

role in naval aviation and, as such, it often remains

unsung. The versatility of an aircraft like the Sea

King Mk 50 provides commanders at sea with

a flexible yet powerful logistics asset which

significantly enhances the operational effectiveness

of the Fleet.

The Royal Australian Navy operates the Sea King

Mk 50 helicopter in the maritime support role. This

encompasses a wide variety of tasks ranging from

direct logistic support to Fleet units to amphibious

operations in support of the army and tactical

employment in the maritime warfare environment.

The Sea King’s versatility also enables it to conduct

other niche roles such as search and rescue, fast

rope insertion of boarding parties, deployment of

paratroopers, water bombing of bushfires and aero

medical evacuation.

817 Squadron based at Nowra on the NSW South

Coast operates and maintains all six aircraft in the

RAN Sea King fleet. 817 Squadron’s operational

output is provided in the form of Ship’s Flights

embarked in HMA Ships Kanimbla, Manoora,

Success and Tobruk for specific deployments and

exercises. Additionally, the Squadron frequently

operates from shore bases in response to

government tasking, especially in support to the

civil community in times of disaster.

The Sea King has seen service in the RAN for over

30 years with the first aircraft entering service in

1975. Initially the type was employed in the anti-

submarine warfare (ASW) role and operated in

squadron strength from Australia’s last aircraft

carrier HMAS Melbourne. In 1995, the then

obsolete ASW equipment was removed and the

aircraft type was reconfigured in its current

maritime support role.

The Sea King is extremely well suited to this role,

particularly because it has a large cabin area which

can accommodate up to 16 passengers in modern

crashworthy seating. Alternatively the cabin can

be rapidly reconfigured to carry three stretchered

casualties with supporting medical personnel or an

internal cargo loading. Additionally, loads of up to

6,000lbs can be under slung to the aircraft.

The Sea King is also endowed with long range

and endurance and this, combined with its ability

to operate low level over the sea at night or in low

visibility conditions, makes it an ideal maritime

search and rescue platform.

Employment of the Sea King in the sphere of logistic

operations falls broadly into two primary areas: Fleet

Support and Army Support. This is often related

(although not exclusively) to the platform from which

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the aircraft is operating. When embarked in HMAS

Success, the Fleet’s ‘Battle Tanker,’ the Sea King

comes into its own in the delivery of dry stores

between Fleet units in a process known as vertical

replenishment (VERTREP). VERTREP involves the

continuous delivery of under-slung loads to the

receiving ship. Loads transferred in this way cover

the entire spectrum of stores from fresh or frozen

food to engineering spares and ammunition.

The combination of Success and the Sea King in

the VERTREP role results in an ability to transfer

stores at a rate that greatly exceeds the capacity

of the more traditional heavy jackstay transfer

between ships. It can also be very flexible as

the ships involved can operate some distance

apart giving tactical and navigational freedom of

manoeuvre to their captains. Alternatively, VERTREP

can be conducted at very close range while

Success delivers fuel to the receiving ship during

replenishment at sea (RAS) operations.

Another fundamental logistics role of the Sea

King in the area of Fleet Support is ‘Log Helo’.

Essentially Log Helo is the Fleet communications

role. It involves the movement of personnel and

urgent stores between the ships of a task group

and shore bases. This is an often underestimated

task of the maritime support helicopter because

of its apparently administrative nature. However,

Sea King Mk 50 Vital Statistics

Overall Length 22.19 m

Height 4.91 m

Basic (empty) Weight 5909 kg

Maximum Weight 9450 kg

Cruise Speed 100 kts (220 km/hr)

Engines 2 x Rolls Royce

Gnome engines

Each producing

1400 SHP

Crew 4

Passengers Up to 16

Armament 1 x 7.62mm

machine gun

the importance of the Log Helo role, for example

in facilitating face to face command level meetings

at sea or in providing rapid delivery of an essential

stores item to repair a vital ship’s system, can be

critical in meeting command objectives.

Army support is generally conducted from the

LPAs (Kanimbla or Manoora) or HMAS Tobruk.

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The Sea King is highly effective in the support of

such operations by contributing to the airborne

assault through its considerable troop lift and load

carrying abilities. This is a complementary capability

to that provided by the water borne assault; the

aircraft providing a rapid, reactive capability whereas

the landing craft provide a more sustained heavy

lift effort.

The Sea King is also equipped with a surface search

radar optimised for over water operations which,

uniquely among Australian support helicopters,

allows it to be tasked for maritime surface search

and force protection of the amphibious ships from

attack from the sea.

After over 30 years at the forefront of Fleet

operations the Sea King is to be replaced by six

MRH 90 helicopters in 2010–2011. That is not to

say that the Sea King is past its use-by-date, as the

(approximately) 200 Sea Kings still in military service

around the world attest. In the short-term, the Sea

King will soldier on as the workhorse of the Fleet

and will have been in RAN service for at least

36 years when it finally reaches retirement.

The first Navy MRH 90 has already been delivered

and is currently undergoing initial trials. It represents

a step change in technology with the inferred

increase in capability and supportability that comes

with such a generational change. It will continue

to provide the RAN with a logistic and Army

support capability beyond the next decade as it

operates from HMAS Success and the two Landing

Helicopter Dock ships on order (Canberra and

Adelaide) and due to enter service from 2013.

AIr LOGISTICS TO THE MIDDLE EAST

Major Maurice Young Officer Commanding Joint Movement Control Office – Sydney

The focal point for air logistic support to Australia’s

commitments in the Middle East is housed within

Warehouse 40, one of many similar structures

spread over the Defence National Storage and

Distribution Centre (DNSDC) site in Sydney. There

are no signs drawing attention to this nondescript,

pre-World War II vintage building, nor are there any

particularly high tech processes undertaken in its

cavernous interior. Yet every couple of hours, seven

days a week, a truck pulls into the warehouse and

discharges its cargo, initiating the air supply chain

processes for the deployed troops. Warehouse

40 houses the Middle East Area of Operations

Cargo Consolidation Point – the CCP.

TenixToll Defence Logistics (TTDL) provide the

warehousing team which manages the cargo

operations of the CCP, reporting through the

DNSDC Operations Cell. Working closely with

them are representatives of 1st Joint Movements

Group (1JMOVGP). While the TTDL and 1JMOVGP

personnel within the CCP have separate masters,

they collaborate to ensure the CCP doesn’t become

a supply chain bottle neck. Each day, the TTDL

Team Leader and the 1JMOVGP Movement Control

Quick Facts

Over the last two years, the ADF has consigned

over four million kg of cargo by air on 265

flights from Australia into the Middle East to

support Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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every piece of cargo in that dusty warehouse is

accounted for and allocated a lift asset.

While the TTDL staff have the arduous task of

receipting cargo, entering cargo into the Cargo

Visibility System (CVS) and raising a Movement

Request, it is the MC representative who plays

ring master. The MC Rep is usually a Sergeant

or Corporal, with a Movements trade in the

Army’s Royal Australian Corps of Transport or Air

Movements mustering within the Air Force. Their

function is to coordinate movements and ensure

that the liability (cargo) fits the asset (strategic lift).

Most recently CPL Cameron Wilson, a 27-year-old

originally from Moranbah in Queensland, filled this

role. He has been in the Army since 2000 and has

been with Joint Movement Control Office Sydney

(JMCO-SYD) since 2007.

Each day, CPL Wilson will take a walk through

the warehouse with the TTDL Team Leader. They

identify cargo that has been given a priority by Joint

Operations Command (JOC) and also gauge the

ability of the current lift schedule to move the cargo

to the Middle East within the next few days. Once

complete, CPL Wilson will allocate cargo to a lift

asset and TTDL staff will then pack the cargo on

pallets and prepare the cargo for movement.

A range of external factors will influence CPL

Wilson’s decisions, from cargo which will enter the

pipeline from alternate locations, high priority cargo

which is scheduled to arrive in the future, to late

notice changes to numbers of personnel deploying.

To complicate matters, he needs to ensure that

weapons, ammunition, secure items, cold chain

and safe-hand packages are included in his plan.

All these items are managed by separate agencies

and as a result CPL Wilson learns to juggle email,

phones and faxes with the dexterity an acrobat

would be proud of. “Working in the CCP certainly

reinforces the doctrine that flexibility is a key

principle of movements!” he joked.

Roughly half the sustainment cargo destined for the

Middle East is consigned via RAAF assets, while the

remainder is consigned on an aircraft contracted

by 1JMOVGP on behalf of Chief Joint Operations.

Since 2004 this aircraft has been contracted from

Strategic Aviation, who use a HiFly Airbus A330-300

to service the major sustainment requirements of

the ADF. This versatile airframe can carry up to

250 personnel and a total payload of 30 tonnes

across the strategic pipeline. The configuration is

a constant balance between numbers of personnel

and amount of cargo, and late notice additions to

personnel requirements often results in CPL Wilson

having to make an immediate prioritisation call to

remove cargo.

As the A330 is a commercial airframe, it is limited

in the amounts of Explosive Ordnance and oversize

cargo it can carry. Demand for these items

remains high, and this is where the RAAF C130

and C-17A fleet come into their own. These flights

will leave from either Richmond or Amberley,

so CPL Wilson must ensure appropriate cargo

is ring-fenced for these flights and dispatched

by truck in a timely manner.

It’s not a one-man show by any means, but soldiers

like CPL Wilson are at the forefront of the ADF’s

logistical interface with contractors and other

government agencies. A stint at the CCP is not

for the faint-hearted; it is a high profile and closely

monitored operation that connects the NSB to

the soldiers conducting operations on behalf of

Australia. Whether CPL Wilson is moving ASLAV

tyres, ammunition or even AFL football packs at

the behest of the Defence Minister, he does so

knowing that he is elbow deep in a complex yet

crucial movements system ensuring the soldiers on

the ground in the Middle East have what they need

when they need it.

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A quESTION OF BALANCE: LOADMASTErS IN THE rAAF

Terry Foster Deputy Director, Communications Joint Logistics Command

Air Force Loadmasters are good at balancing—

balancing people’s needs and wants and balancing

aircraft. The first is more challenging. A good

teacher can teach how to calculate aircraft weight

and balance figures. But people skills, including

prioritising for others and empathy, are more difficult

to pass on.

It’s up to loadmasters to plan and supervise

the loading of cargo, passengers and fuel so

that aircraft fly effectively, efficiently and, most

importantly, safely.

During World War II many transport aircraft

crashed because of improper weight distribution

and balance. As aircraft size and loads increased,

calculation of weight and balance became more

important. In time, crew members were especially

trained to calculate aircraft weight and balance;

the role of the loadmaster was born. The term

‘loadmaster’ is believed to have been created

by the Douglas Aircraft Company, with the term

first appearing in the flight manuals for the C 124

Globemaster II aircraft in 1949.

Flying ‘101’ states that fixed winged aircraft are

supported in flight by their wings. For an aircraft to

become and remain airborne, the wing must move

through the air at a specified angle known as the

‘angle of attack’. To maintain the correct angle of

attack the aircraft’s centre of gravity must be within

a range specified by the aircraft’s designers. Being

too nose-heavy or too tail-heavy can compromise

the angle of attack, destroy lift, cause the aircraft to

stall and cease to fly.

It’s not just the weight of the cargo that the

‘loadie’ needs to consider. During the flight, fuel

consumption reduces the weight of fuel on board

which sees the aircraft’s centre of gravity moving

forward or aft.

That’s not just during the critical and obvious

stages of take-off and landing but, for example,

its also critical if the aircraft needs to dump fuel in an

emergency situation so it can make a safe landing.

This scenario is called ‘zero fuel weight’ and is

calculated for every flight. But you cannot just move

the load around willy-nilly to make the calculations

work; some of the cargo may be hazardous and

needs to be stowed correctly, perhaps isolated from

other freight and passengers. And everything needs

to be soundly secured so it does not move until it

needs to.

Calculations become more complex when an

aerial drop is planned. Imagine what happens to

the centre of gravity of the aircraft as a pallet is

loaded firstly within the cargo compartment and

then jettisoned after hours of flight and fuel burn.

Calculations are even done in case the load gets

stuck during the jettison.

While laptop tools help loadies compute the

parameters of load placement, they are still required

to be able to perform the complex calculations

‘longhand.’ Loadie trainees initially undergo six

weeks of ground school where they are taught and

then complete what seems endless numbers of

longhand manual load plans before being allowed

anywhere near a laptop.

In addition to the calculations, load and crew

planning, documentation and supervision of loading

and unloading aircraft, the loadmaster is essentially

the ‘go-to’ person on board the aircraft. The

loadie is responsible for the safety of passengers

and troops on board; briefs them on the use of

seat belts; facilities; and emergency equipment;

and ensures they know how to respond in an

emergency. This is done in a professional manner

and, so as not to startle passengers, often with

a dose of humour.

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One part of the ‘Herc’ brief many of you will have

heard goes along the lines of, “After an emergency

landing, once the aircraft comes to stop, get out

of your seat, get up that ladder and get out that

hole, and if you are slow doing any of that, get out

of my way.” Or another, “If you’re airsick please use

the white bags and if you do: please accept it as a

memento of your flight with 37 Squadron which you

can take home. But don’t leave it on the aircraft!”

The busiest time for the loadie is during the two

hours before ‘doors’ (departure) time. However,

during flight there’s plenty to be done. After take-

off, in-flight and before landing checklists need to

be completed. Monitoring aircraft systems, cargo,

passengers and other crew members fills in a lot of

time. These tasks are even more complex during

tactical operations, particularly when operating in

the Middle East.

Then there are the many who have taken off in

Hercs—but never landed in one. Loadies refer

to them as ‘meat bombs’—parachutists. The

majority of para tasks now are basic training

drops for the Army.

Trust plays a big part in any crewed environment

but even more so in the back of a large transport

aircraft. And that goes both ways between the

‘drivers’ and the loadies.

The loadie is the captain’s representative in the back

of the aircraft. They must satisfy themselves that all

is in order and no doubt exists in the calculations,

preparation of the dangerous cargo, security of the

load or in any other area.

The line between the two areas is colloquially known

as the ‘245’—where the world of the pilots, flight

engineers and navigators stops and the loadies’

domain begins.

245 is actually the bulkhead between the cockpit

and the cargo compartment and on an E Model

Herc was 245 inches aft of a point on the nose.

Loadies refer to a load in the aircraft by the inches

it is from the nose of the aircraft.

As well as carrying freight and personnel to and

from exercises and operations our ‘Hercs’ are part

of the nation’s first response in disaster relief and

humanitarian assistance.

Think Bali Bombing. Think Boxing Day Tsunami.

Think Cyclone Larry. In the 50 years that Hercs

have been in service in Australia, there have been

loadmasters dealing with disasters by opening their

cargo doors and often their hearts to outstretched

arms of citizens in distress.

Loadies have spoken of their feelings of despair for

people and their predicaments during these times.

Often they are the first contact with the devastation

and need to kick into facilitator mode by getting

the victims settled whilst getting the supplies and

workers off the aircraft and dealing with what to

do next. They have assisted in the birth of children,

rescue of people, stabilisation of patients and in the

return home of fallen comrades always with dignity,

respect and compassion.

With such a complex role, what are the most

important skills of the loadmaster? With 26 years

of loadmaster experience behind him flying on four

types of helicopters, two types of Hercules and

Boeing Business Jet 737, Warrant Officer Rob

‘Swanny’ Swanwick now Squadron Warrant Officer

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and VIP 737 Loadmaster at No. 34

Squadron Canberra, does not hesitate in

answering ‘communication, participation,

negotiation and patience.’

According to WOFF Swanwick, an effective

loadmaster has to balance the competing needs

and expectations of aircrew, maintainers, Air

Movements, Joint Movements Coordination Centre,

86Wing and customer units. Murphy’s Law has

many applications when it comes to arrival at Air

Movements Sections of cargo and passengers

for loading. This can delay departure time and

arrival time. Being able to communicate calmly

and with authority assists in the management of

expectations, reduces stress and underpins safety

for everyone concerned.

WOFF Swanwick was the MEAO Deployed

Loadmaster Leader in March 2007 when the

communication skills of his section members were

tested. Their job became one of the few jobs in

Australia where you can tell the Prime Minister and

Chief of Defence Force what to do, and have them

comply without hesitation. During Prime Minister

Howard’s and Air Chief Marshal Houston’s visit to

the MEAO in March 2007 the aircraft experienced

an emergency immediately after take-off when the

cargo area filled with smoke and fumes.

The loadies, WOFFs Andrew Greer and Scott

Willacott, needed all on board to follow their

instructions to don oxygen masks and adopt the

crash position quickly and without question while

they got on with their emergency procedures to

clear the cargo area of fumes and prepare it for

landing. All, including the PM and CDF, did so and

after landing evacuated the aircraft safely. The

PM thanked both at the time and later in a letter

to the crew. He expressed his admiration for their

professional commitment and how they put

their passengers’ safety first in a calm but

authoritative manner.

The lot of a loadmaster is a hectic and unpredictable

one. For about the last five years Hercules loadies

have been constantly deploying to the MEAO on

four month rotations with some now up to their 5th

or 6th rotation. When back from the MEAO, and

after a couple of weeks leave, loadies are straight

back into the normal squadron operations.

‘Normal’ is hardly the right word to describe what

happens. There’s always the need to continue

professional development and the continual

recurrencies to be achieved for trade and

deployment. Also Army, Navy and Air Force units

have ongoing requirements for transport within

Australia and overseas. There are the jobs you know

about and can plan well in advance. Of course,

there are many more last-minute tasks that a loadie

can be awoken from his sleep to attend to.

Generally, the call from the duty Operations Officer

will sound a lot like this,

“not sure how much or how many; just two

aircraft ready for anything, and two on four-hour

standby and two on twelve, so pack a bag for

three days (it’s never three days) and get in

here. The maintainers have prepared the jets

with full fuel and the ‘bears’ (Air Movements)

will have pallets, paperwork and rations ready

for departure. Oh, you didn’t have anything

planned did you?”

You roll out of bed and hear from the other side,

“We’ll be right, just stay safe.” You begin the

practice of kissing of your loved ones goodbye

once again, telling your son you’re sorry you can’t

watch his soccer game but, like last time, you

promise you’ll make it up to him or you explain to

your half asleep daughter that you’ll celebrate her

birthday with her when you get back (and answer

her immediate question with, “I don’t know darling,

soon.”) Your skill of calculating balance has begun

to kick in again.

On the drive in to the squadron your mind races

and you stop to consider the competing needs

of your personal life, the ADO, and someone in

a far off place needing help. You ask yourself who

gets priority. On that drive you do what thousands

of loadies have done over the years; your mind

switches back to deciding how to position the

load. And without knowing it, you’ve answered

the question.

It’s all about balance.

Warrant Officer Swanwick contributed to this article.

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KKC-30A: THE NExT GENErATION TANKEr/TrANSPOrT AIrCrAFT

Squadron Leader Leon Sallway Staff Officer Logistics, KC-30A Transition Team, Headquarters Air Lift Group

The KC-30A, based on the Airbus A330-200,

is the first wide-body civilian airliner derivative to

be operated by the Air Force, representing a giant

step into the future. Innovative logistical support

measures are required to support progression

to the Final Operational Capability (FOC) of the

weapon system.

The step-up in capability from the B707 to the

KC-30A can be likened to the historical transition

from piston engined, propeller driven aircraft that

operated on grass runways, to the technologically

advanced jet aircraft that required a strengthened,

sealed runway. A large aircraft like the KC-30A

requires longer and wider runways, taxiways

and parking areas than other current types. It

also requires substantial refuelling and catering

support— far in excess of what has been

required previously.

In the AAR role, the KC-30A has a fuel capacity

of 100 tonnes and can offload fuel to numerous

aircraft types, including other KC-30As, using

its pod and boom refuelling systems. In the Air

Logistics Support (ALS) role it has seating for 270

passengers, has the capacity to accommodate 34

tonnes of cargo in under-floor cargo compartments,

and can carry these loads on international sectors.

The KC-30A is larger in length, wingspan and height

than both the B707 and the C-17A. Its refuelling

points and cargo compartment door sill are five

and three metres off the ground respectively, both

significantly higher than any other aircraft in the Air

Force fleet and beyond the reach and safety limits of

extant Ground Support Equipment. The passenger

capacity of the KC-30A (118 more than the B707)

implies a need to be able to administer increased

numbers of people within Air Movements terminals.

Provision of in-flight catering in the quantities and

The Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A is the next

generation of multi-role aircraft due to commence

entry into service in 2009. Replacing the now retired

Boeing 707 (B707), the KC-30A will be operated

by 33 Squadron which has relocated to RAAF

Base Amberley in Queensland. Once in service,

this aircraft will be one of the most advanced Air

to Air Refuelling (AAR) aircraft in the world and its

introduction provides a quantum leap in strategic

Air Force capability. The size and capacity of the

KC-30A present a number of logistical challenges

in regards to airfield facilities, ground support

equipment, passenger handling and cargo loading.

These are some of the challenges for the Air Force

KC-30A Transition Team (KC-30A-TT), who are

working towards the introduction of an effective

capability for the ADF.

Image courtesy of EADS CASA

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format required for large numbers of passengers on

long haul operations is standard for civilian carriers

but a new consideration for the Air Force.

The KC-30A cargo carrying capability will provide

flexibility and efficiency to ALS operations. The

aircraft can accommodate extant military (463L)

cargo pallets, civilian pallets and containerised

Unit Load Devices (ULDs), or a combination of all

three. ULDs are currently not in use within the ADF.

However, should they be adopted, the efficiencies

will equate to a significant volumetric advantage

over palletised cargo systems, and reduced aircraft

loading times contributing to overall faster terminal

turnaround times.

The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO)

acquisition process is well underway through

Project AIR5402. The first (prototype) aircraft has

commenced ground testing in Madrid, Spain,

following installation of the military avionics refuelling

systems and software. The second aircraft

commenced conversion at the Qantas Australian

Conversion Centre at Brisbane Airport in June

2008. The Logistics Support Analysis process is

well underway to enable development and delivery

of the KC-30A Support System including training,

technical data, spares and support and

test equipment.

Working closely with the Project, the Air Force

KC-30A-TT are responsible for coordinating the

transition of the weapon system into service.

Coordination and resolution of KC-30A tasks

and support requirements is an ongoing process

facilitated via functional working groups. Each group

comprises representatives from Command, Force

Element Groups (FEG), DMO and support agencies,

who provide subject matter expertise to the

planning process. Outcomes of the working group

process are reported against the formal KC-30A

Capability Transition Plan.

The KC-30A requires a quantum leap in many

logistical areas. Whilst the inherent capability may be

available, there is a need to learn how to best exploit

the potential of this aircraft. Thus the logistics to

support this capability will evolve as understanding

of the KC-30A develops. The Air Force KC-30A

Transition Team continues to respond to the

challenges presented by the introduction of this

modern and innovative capability.

KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport technical specifications

Manufacturer European Aeronautic

Defence and Space

Construcciones

Aeronauticas S.A.

(EADS CASA)

Role Air-to-air refuelling,

long-range troop transport

Engine 32,659kg thrust

Airframe Length: 58.8m

Height: 17.4m

Wingspan 60.3m

Weight 233 tonnes (maximum

take-off weight),

180 tonnes (maximum

landing weight)

Refuelling 111 tonnes offload

performance, 65 tonnes

at 1000nm from base with

2 hours on station

Capacity

Image courtesy of EADS CASA

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KjOINT LOGISTICS uNIT (SOuTH): A PrOFILE

Major Esther de Ridder Operations Officer Joint Logistics Unit (South)

The clothing store at Joint Logistics Unit (South)

will need to make some room for green uniforms

at RAAF Base Edinburgh soon.

The implementation of the Hardened and

Networked Army initiative will bring a new

Battlegroup to South Australia. With the Battlegroup

will come its full retinue of Combat Support and

Combat Service Support. For the hardworking

team at JLU(S) this means new dependencies with

many new requirements, above and beyond those

green uniforms

There are Joint Logistics Command business units

at many of the aviation sites in Australia. Their role

is to provide supply chain support to the Navy, Army

or Air Force air platforms that operate from those

locations. Up until now, Joint Logistics Unit (South)

based at RAAF-Edinburgh has had a mainly RAAF-

focused on-base support role and will transition to

a more joint role with the establishment of an Army

Battle Group at the Base from 2011. This will be

similar to the establishment of the Army’s 9 Force

Support Battalion at RAAF Base Amberley in 2007.

RAAF Edinburgh is located some 30 km north of

Adelaide. The Base is currently home to 92 Wing’s

AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, which conduct

surveillance operations throughout Australia and on

operations, Aerospace Operational Support Group

that undertakes, amongst other tasks, research

and development, and 1 Airfield Defence Squadron.

These, and other key Air Force units, joint Defence

Units, Defence Support Group and Defence Materiel

Organisation (DMO) Program Offices are located at

this busy base of some 3,000 military, civilian and

contractor personnel.

RAAF Combat Support Group provides deployed

combat support, excluding aircraft technical

maintenance, to the Base and other forward

operating or point of entry airfields either in

Australia or overseas. JLU(S) is the main provider

for satisfying immediate and short-term logistics

requirements of ADF customers operating in South

Australia and out to Broken Hill, NSW (known as

the Central Region). JLU(S) also facilitates the

coordination of logistic support from other providers

in support of ADF operations within this region

of responsibility.

JLU(S), like the other JLUs, was formed in February

1998 as the result of a Commander Support

Australia Directive. The creation of JLU(S) saw the

drawing together of the local Army supply elements

such as the Adelaide Logistic Company, the Air

Force logistics elements from No 304 Air Base

Wing, and a small RAN element of Navy Engineering

Support - Adelaide into a single joint logistic unit.

The Unit’s roles and objectives are to:

• Plan,co-ordinateandmanagelogisticsupport

to the Central Region for ADF operations.

This includes the provision for a one-stop

logistics ‘shop’.

• Managesupplychaintoanagreedpoint.

• Co-ordinatesupporttooperationsby

the enabling groups.

• Establishtemporarysupportinfrastructure.

• Managecontractorsupporttooperations.

• Acquireandmanagejointitems,including:

- combat rations, and catering/mess equipment.

- clothing (combat and non-combat), and

personal equipment.

- common consumable items.

• ManageADFstrategicwarehousingand

distribution in Adelaide.

• Developandmanagelogisticsprocesses

within JLU(S).

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JLU(S) does not operate only from RAAF Base

Edinburgh, although this is where one of its two

main warehouses is based. At Warradale Barracks,

located some 60 minutes away across the city

centre of Adelaide, both materiel maintenance

activities and land fleet inventory operations,

including vehicle and equipment loan pool stores,

are managed and distributed. The warehouse

operations at RAAF Edinburgh have a predominate

inventory of aircraft spares to support the regional

demands and global holdings, allocated by Fleet

Managers operating from System Project Offices

across Australia.

In the long-term, future infrastructure developments

to support the Army’s Hardened and Network Army

activities will also see an expansion of Land Fleet

inventory to the Edinburgh warehouse requiring

streamlining and diversification of inventory.

Some warehouse space is being made available

though Defence’s Inventory Optimisation Program

where DMO and JLC have been systematically

identifying what is being stored that is no longer

needed and taking steps to dispose of these

items. In the longer term this will be supplemented

by additional warehousing within the Edinburgh

Defence Precinct.

Along with the new Battle Group, other essential

joint and enabling capabilities will be established

to sustain the increased capacity.

Commanding Officer at JLU(S), Wing Commander

Grant Pinder said, “The JLU South team will meet

the challenges of supporting this widening customer

base as they do our existing dependencies—

focused on our Customers, committed to our

People and responsive to our Stakeholders. In fact,

we are looking forward to some more green at

RAAF Edinburgh”.

HOOrAy FOr HErCuLES— 50 yEArS OF SErvING AuSTrALIA

Flying Officer Eamon Hamilton Public Affairs Officer, Air Lift Group

If you can recall an Australian Defence Force (ADF)

Operation of the last 50 years, there’s a fair chance

a common aircraft was found in each theatre – the

C-130 Hercules.

This year, the RAAF celebrates half a century of

operating the world’s most successful medium

combat airlift aircraft, which shows no signs of

slowing down yet.

Today, 24 of the aircraft are operated by No. 37

Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond, west

of Sydney, where the aircraft have been based since

first arriving on Australian shores.

For the ADF—and indeed, many western air

forces—the aircraft has proven to be an airborne

logistics workhorse. They are able to carry up to

20 tonnes of cargo or 120 troops (in the stretched

C 130J), land on semi-prepared airstrips, and

provide defensive countermeasures, allowing them

to operate in hostile environments.

Indeed, operating the RAAF’s Hercules comprises

a significant proportion of the RAAF’s logistics

personnel support. This not only includes the

ongoing logistics and through-life support

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conducted by No. 37 Squadron and Defence

Materiel Organisation’s Air Lift Systems Program

Office, but also Air Movements personnel – currently

held under RAAF’s No. 1 Airfield Operations

Support Squadron.

The effort of supporting tasks abroad also requires

extensive coordination from organisations such as

Joint Movements Group.

A prime example of the Hercules’ workhorse efforts

has been in the Middle East Area of Operations,

where RAAF C-130s have been continuously

deployed since February 2003. Supporting ADF

and Coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan as well

as other parts of the Middle East, RAAF Hercules

had completed 2,194 missions as of July 2008,

for a total of 14,737 flying hours. They have carried

20,760 tonnes of cargo, 93,559 passengers and

transported 2,283 medical patients.

Remarkably, many of the Hercules’ qualities in this

21st century operation were born out of the early

1950s. The United States Air Force was confronted

with a need to create an airborne logistics link when

the Korean War broke out in 1950. Throughout the

war, the workload was conducted by a series of

unpressurised, piston-engine aircraft.

A USAF Colonel remarked that the service required

an extremely rugged medium transport that could

land on unprepared airstrips, carry about 30,000

pounds of cargo, with a range of 1,500 miles.

Lockheed was one of several designers who

responded to the requirement with an aircraft whose

cargo dimensions were based on a railroad boxcar.

Designers then simply added wings, a nose, and

tail to the design, and to allow ease of loading and

unloading, the aircraft’s fuselage was placed low to

the ground. The design first flew in August 1954,

and reached USAF service shortly after.

Much like America, Australia was faced with the

same requirement for a rugged post-war airlift

aircraft to replace slower-flying Dakota transports.

The aircraft had to fly the long distances found in

Australia, be able to support the majority of cargo

loads in Australia’s inventory, and be able to support

Operations overseas from Australian shores.

Australia then became the first foreign operator of

the Hercules in 1958, sending crews from No. 36

Squadron to train on the C-130A.

The first of 12 aircraft arrived in Australia in

December 1958. Their continued work throughout

the 1960s, especially as an airborne logistics link to

Vietnam, saw the RAAF purchase another 12 of the

newer C-130E Hercules.

Today, the fleet comprises of 12 C-130Hs and

12 C-130Js, which replaced the C-130A and

C-130E respectively. Lockheed has adapted and

improved the aircraft to modern airborne operations;

however cargo dimensions and overall design

remains remarkably faithful to the first C-130As.

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NEw MuLTI-rOLE HELICOPTErS FOr THE ADF

Commander Peter Ashworth Maritime Support Helicopter Project Manager MRH Project Office Helicopter Systems Division, Defence Materiel Organisation

It is a challenging but exciting time in the Multi Role

Helicopter Program Office (MRHPO) as AIR9000

Phases 2/4/6 (acquisition and sustainment of

46 MRH 90 for Army and Navy) moves from

the achievement of In Service Date (ISD) on

18 December 2007 toward Type Certification

in mid-2009.

Of the 46 MRH 90 on order, six will be operated by

the Navy in the Maritime Support Helicopter role

and will replace the Sea King at 817 Squadron in

Nowra. The other 40 will be operated by Army in

the Air Mobile role and will replace the Black Hawk

helicopters. 5 Aviation Regiment in Townsville will

have two squadrons and 6 Aviation Regiment will

operate one squadron from Holsworthy. Army

Aviation Training Centre (AAvnTC) in Oakey will have

dedicated aircraft for the conduct of all training for

the MRH 90 capability.

The MRH 90 will provide the ADF the ability to carry

an increased payload compared to legacy systems.

With a rear ramp and increased cabin volume

(compared to current ADF Medium Lift Helicopters)

the MRH 90 can carry a standard NATO pallet and

seat up to 20 passengers. With several internal fuel

tanks and extended range external tanks, the MRH

90 will afford greater flexibility for Australia’s unique

operating environment.

The MRH 90 incorporates next generation

capabilities including fly by wire technology,

composite structure, forward looking Infra-red,

weather radar, helmet mounted sight and display

and rear ramp. MRH 90 maintenance will be

supported by the Interactive Electronic Technical

Publication (IETP)—a ‘next generation’ materiel

publication suite aiming for a paperless cockpit

in the years to come.

The advanced technology incorporated in the

MRH 90 will offer outstanding capability to Army

and Navy. But, as with all new capabilities, there

is a significant training liability. To ensure there are

qualified personnel to operate and support the

aircraft, significant training of Australian personnel

was conducted in France. This involved conversion

training for Qualified Flying Instructors and Qualified

Loadmaster Instructors as well as technicians

and ground crew to support MRH 90 operations.

Additionally, an MRH training facility in Townsville

has been completed to support Introduction into

Service Training, which commenced on 28 April

2008, and will continue until December 2011.

The first four Australian MRH 90 have now rolled off

the Eurocopter France production line. The first two

aircraft were delivered in December 2007 and a third

was delivered by an Australian C-17A in June 2008.

The last of the French assembled MRH is planned

to be delivered in an operational configuration by

C-17A in November. Concurrently, aircraft MRH#05

to MRH#12 are undergoing assembly at Australian

MRH 90 being loaded into RAAF C-17A in Marignane, France.

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Aerospace’s Brisbane facility. The first Australian

assembled MRH 90 is planned for acceptance on

17 December 2008. This is an important milestone

for the AIR 9000 Program, Australian Aerospace

and Defence.

Under the sustainment contract, operational

maintenance (OM) is provided by uniform personnel

for the three operational units. Australian Aerospace

(AA) will provide deeper maintenance (DM)

capabilities at Townsville and at Nowra. At Oakey,

AA will provide both DM and OM to the AAvnTC

and at the Aerospace Operational Support Group

(AOSG) in Adelaide, AA will support the test and

trials flying.

Included in the contract are significant Australian

industry capability requirements that promote the

provision of training, manufacture of composite

panels, engine assembly and testing, and the

development of some sub-systems and ground

support systems. Australian Industry participation

is expected to compete on a commercial basis

for funds in excess of $1.2 billion to supply critical

capabilities which add to the self-reliance

of the ADF.

Both the Commonwealth and AA have set up

respective sponsor and contractor authorised

engineering organisations (AEO) for continued

sustainment and support to the authorised

maintenance organisations. The continued

airworthiness of MRH 90 is supported by the AEO

with a foundation that stems right back to the

original equipment manufacturer, NATO Helicopter

Industries (NHI), and oversight from the joint military

aviation authorities for NH 90 (JMAAN).

The third and fourth MRH 90 were originally

scheduled to be delivered together to Australia by

a chartered Antonov (Transport Aircraft) late this

year. However, operational tasking provided the

opportunity to use an RAAF C-17A for the task; and

the delivery of an MRH 90 by RAAF C-17A in June

2008 has proven the ability to transport MRH 90 by

ADF Air Lift. The early delivery has provided greater

capacity for training and testing activities, which

are essential for the development of the capability.

The cooperation provided by the RAAF and other

Defence agencies involved in this activity was

outstanding. It was also the first time a C-17A

had transported the MNH90 helicopter.

MRHPO is currently planning for the delivery of the

fourth MRH 90 by C-17A in mid-November 2008.

MRHPO and industry are working to qualify the

MRH 90 for air lift in as close to an ‘operational’

configuration as possible as part of the continuous

expansion of the MRH 90 capability. Although not

a defined project specification, the MRHPO hopes

to reduce pre-flight preparation at the destination

to a minimum, ideally to less than one hour from

commencement of unloading to ready for flight.

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HOMEwArD BOuND AND THE BASEL CONvENTION

Dr Martin Lyons A/Safety & Environment Manager, Joint Logistics Command

What’s the relationship between Australian Defence

Force Extraction and an historic city in north-west

Switzerland?

The answer is to do with how the ADF handles

materials designated as hazardous waste. Batteries

containing lead or lithium are examples of used

equipment that can trigger international laws that

have their origin in the Swiss city of Basel.

Nestled on the river Rhine, the city of Basel can

trace it history back to the third century AD.

It burgeoned as an impressive walled city in the

Middle Ages, and currently its metropolis spans

areas of Switzerland, Germany and France. It’s a

significant industrial and finance hub, with its most

famous institution being the Bank for International

Settlements (BIS). The BIS was established in 1930

as a means of transfer for German reparations

payments. The banks’ involvement with Nazi gold

transfers is a subject of contention. Between 1940

and 1945, the German Reichsbank sold 1.3 billion

francs worth of gold to Swiss banks in exchange for

Swiss francs and other foreign currency.

In 1992, the city of Basel gave its name to the,

Convention on the Control of Transboundary

Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their

Disposal—the Basel Convention for short. It is

the most comprehensive global environmental

agreement on hazardous and other wastes. The

Convention has 170 parties and aims to protect

human health and the environment against the

adverse effects resulting from the generation,

management, movement and disposal of

hazardous wastes.

Australia is a signatory to the Convention and

supports its principles of minimising the amount,

and toxicity, of wastes generated and to prevent

transfer to less developed countries. To enable

Australia to comply with specific obligations under

the Basel Convention, the Department of the

Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA)

Australian Light Armoured Vehicles are ready to start the journey back to Australia from Ali Air Base, Tallil, Iraq.

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administer and implement the Hazardous Waste

(Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989.

The act reflects the intent of the Basel Convention

and gives specific directives by which Australian

organisations should conduct their activities.

Since the ADF’s operations require the movement

of a large variety of equipment and waste, our

specialists need to communicate with DEWHA

regarding activity that may trigger the act. The

movement of specific substances across borders,

such as occurs during force extraction, needs to

occur under the conditions of the Basel Convention

and with guidance (plus licensing) from DEWHA.

What is hazardous waste and what materials

might the ADF handle that are of interest to the

Convention? Not surprisingly, agreeing on precise

definitions and classifications has proved difficult

for the international community. ‘Destined for

final disposal’ is one way to describe waste.

Regulated wastes may include biomedical wastes,

used oils, certain inorganic and organic solvents,

asbestos dust and fibres, beryllium compounds,

heavy metals, explosives, flammables, corrosives,

toxins etc. Both lead acid vehicles and lithium

communications batteries may be considered

hazardous waste and specific, legal disposal

methods established.

After the ADF overseas Task Group has gone

through the process of deciding what is waste and

which component of that could be classified as

hazardous, they need to decide on an appropriate

course of action. Our first instinct may be to repack

all of our waste and return it to Australia. However,

the main objective of the Basel Convention is to

minimise the movement of hazardous materials

across borders. Therefore, it recommends treating

and disposing of waste as close as possible to the

place of generation. The Convention also states that

shipments to and from non-parties is illegal, unless

a special agreement has been reached.

This leads us to another important element of

the Convention – that wastes are to be disposed

of in an environmentally sound manner. The

Australian Defence Force takes its responsibilities

of environmental protection and being a good

international citizen very seriously. To ensure

continued capability, minimise risk to personnel

and uphold the principles of good stewardship, the

ADF looks to integrate many of the same objectives

held in the Defence Environmentally Strategic Plan

into operational instructions. Australian regulations

such as ‘National Environment Protection Measures’

and the ‘Environmental Protection and Biodiversity

Conservation Act’ give us direction on how we

might achieve those goals during force extraction.

That, however, can be the subject of a future article.

The Force Extraction Team are ‘full speed ahead’ to ensure a smooth withdrawal from southern Iraq.

The Australian Flag is lowered for the final time in a ceremony marking the withdrawal of the Army Training Team from the Counter Insurgency Centre of Excellence at Taji in Northern Iraq.

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C-17A: THE HEAvy LIFTErS

Terry Foster Deputy Director, Communications Joint Logistics Command

When it comes to heavy lifting it’s hard to beat the

capability of the Royal Australian Air Force’s four

Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft of No. 36

Squadron.

Each aircraft is able to carry more than 70 tonnes of

cargo; about four times the payload of the RAAF’s

other combat airlift aircraft the C-130 Hercules. That

can translate into three Black Hawk or Sea King

helicopters, or five Light Armoured vehicles—or

even a M1A1 Abrams tank.

The first of four C-17A entered service in December

2006 and the fourth aircraft was delivered in March

2008. The $2.2 billion project was finalised within its

agreed timeframe and within budget. Commenting

at the handover of the final aircraft, then Chief of

Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd said, “This

success highlights the excellent cooperation

between the RAAF, Defence Materiel Organisation,

the Boeing Company and US Air Force”.

From the moment they arrived, the Globemasters

have been making a positive impact in support

of global operations, seeing sevice in Operation

CATALYST (Iraq), Operation ASTUTE (East Timor)

and a large number of Exercises.

Through involvement with a global C-17A ‘virtual

fleet’, RAAF has access to a large range of

resources within the international C-17A community,

including access to spares pools located in

continental US and other overseas locations,

extensive engineering and logistics support from

field service representatives located at Amberley,

and USAF and Boeing support staff in the US, and

significant C-17A training facilities in the US (the

ADF’s own simulator training facility is presently

being built at RAAF Amberley).

These resources have allowed RAAF to maintain

a high level of aircraft serviceability to meet the

operational tempo; providing essential airlift support

to a broad range of exercises and operations

around the globe.

In November 2007, floods from Cyclone Guba

devastated regional areas of Papua New Guinea

and it was with short-notice that one of the

new aircraft was dispatched to Port Moresby

International Airport with 14 pallets of medical aid.

The transport of wounded and injured ADF

personnel from Afghanistan in September 2008

was the first time that a RAAF C-17A was used in

an Aero Medical Evacuation (AME) capacity. The

aircraft is ideal for this role as it has the capacity to

accommodate several patients and their medical

support. In the Afghanistan mission, two AME teams

of medical specialists, doctors, nurses and medical

assistants—18 in all—took part in the retrieval of

the injured. As well as the extra space on board, the

extended range of the C-17A means less flying time

and fewer stops for the patients.

Having the C-17As on call has had positive financial

impact on other parts of Defence. In May 2007,

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costs when 36SQN carried equipment from the US

in support of Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile training.

More recently, operational tasking provided the

opportunity for a C-17A to bring a new Multi Role

Helicopter (MRH 90) from its manufacturer in

France to Australia. This meant MRH team had their

helicopter sooner than anticipated and could

bring forward in-country testing and training.

The challenge for November 2008 will be

transporting the next MRH 90 off the production

line in as close to ‘operational’ configuration as

possible to demonstrate the interaction between

the two capabilities.

In their short history, 36SQN has notched up some

noteworthy achievements. They flew the C-17A into

the semi-prepared, minimum length airfield

at Bradshaw as part of the official airfield opening –

a joint ADF/USAF activity. In conjunction with the

Heavy Air Lift Transition Team, the Squadron was

awarded the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators

Award for high achievement.

The ongoing development of additional 36SQN

roles; such as airdrop, aero medical evacuation,

tactical flying (with enhanced aircraft self protection

systems such as the Large Aircraft Infrared

Countermeasures system); para drop, and further

load clearances for large ADF cargo, will significantly

improve the C-17A’s ability to support ADF

operations into the future.

COMPLIANCE AND ASSurANCE—DEFENCE ACCOuNTS IN GOOD SHAPE

Ed Lawler Director Logistics Compliance and Assurance, Joint Logistics Command

At the end of the Financial Year 2003/04, Defence

was in the position where the financial statements

submitted with the Annual Report were ‘qualified’

(see inset) This was the catalyst for concentrated

effort to work towards removing the undesirable

cloud over Defence’s accounts.

Now, four years down the track, that effort by

parties all across Defence has been successful

in having any qualification removed.

The Logistics Compliance and Assurance team in

Joint Logistics Command played their part in the

Qualification

In lay terms, qualification of the financial

statements means that in our annual report

to government, Defence was unable to attest

that that the financial statements were ‘true

and fair’ in all respects. In the main, this was

due to issues arising from the complexities

of applying accrual accounting practices

to management of vast inventory of stock

acquired over many years.

measured and sustained program of improvement in

managing its inventory stock holdings that Defence

has adopted.

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Their focus has been on:

• establishingtrained,competentcomplianceand

assurance teams across Defence;

• enhancingaccountabilityofthosemanagingour

inventory, including improved quarterly reporting

to the Defence Audit Committee;

• improvingfinancialawarenessandtheimpact

this has on overall inventory management

functions; and

• developinganimprovedSDSS(seeinset)

IT Controls Framework.

In financial year 2005/06, a program of positive

verification was conducted for ‘repairable’ items

which reduced the uncertainty in Defence’s financial

statements by around a billion dollars. This ‘positive

verification’ meant that each item needed to be

physically identified and checked to ensure it

was where it was supposed to be and in the

correct quantities. During 2006/07, the qualification

over the remaining two thirds of repairable items

was removed.

The aim of the 2007/08 Inventory Assurance

Program was to remove the remaining qualification

over general stores inventory—the vast range of

materiel held in our warehouses. With that in mind,

Compliance and Assurance teams spread out

across Defence sites and counted general stores

inventory in 145 warehouses.

As part of this massive undertaking, the teams

tested inventory controls and stocktaking processes

as they went, recommending improvements where

necessary. Then, satisfied that stock numbers were

consistent with records and that the systems and

processes were reliable, external auditors were

engaged to provide an independent review.

The result was the removal of the remaining

qualifications over the financial statements—

unqualified financial statements for financial

year 2007/08.

The task of inventory management is an ongoing

one and Defence reports its performance annually

to the government. Compliance and assurance

is, therefore, an ongoing business requirement if

Defence is to maintain qualification free financial

statements. The 2008/09 program is well underway.

For the soldiers, sailors and airmen/women of the

ADF, the ‘so what’ factor is that they are supported

by warehouses of supplies and materiel where the

inventory is sound and accurate and the systems

are in place to maintain that accuracy into the future.

More information about Joint Logistics Command’s

Compliance and Audit program can be found at

http://intranet.defence.gov.au/jlc/sites/DGLA/

comweb.asp

SDSS

The Standard Defence Supply System (SDSS)

is the enterprise inventory management system

used to manage the vast number of inventory

and asset items that Defence holds to support

its operations and the many platforms used and

operated by the ADF.

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Anyone who’s ever cleaned out a shed will

appreciate Defence’s Accelerated Inventory

Optimisation Program.

With too many surplus and obsolete items in its

warehouses, Defence has embarked on a clean-out

of mammoth proportions. Working together, the

Defence Materiel Organisation and Joint Logistics

Command have been systematically identifying what

is being stored that is no longer needed and taking

steps to dispose of these items.

The disposal process is routine and ongoing.

However, in recent years a backlog of surplus

materiel has built up in warehouses. Items such

as equipment that is no longer useful or that has

been superseded, spare parts for such equipment

and stock kept ‘just in case’ not only clutter up

space but also represent a drain on today’s

Defence resources as we count and care for

redundant stock.

The Accelerated Inventory Optimisation Program

and other planned inventory initiatives are designed

to ensure that the right stock, parts, etc. are

available in the right quantities in the right locations

at the right time. Such logistics reforms are

important precursors to the logistics companion

paper to the Defence White Paper.

Commencing at Defence’s largest warehousing

complex (Defence National Storage and Distribution

Centre, Moorebank), but now rolled out across all

JLC units, some 46,397 obsolete stock codes (or

item types) were identified in the first 26 weeks of

this concentrated program. The 3,579,000 items

that those codes represent were processed swiftly

for disposal. The program is expected to realise

a reduction in approximately 75,000 stock codes

by Christmas.

Optimising the current inventory reduces overall

cost of ownership, maximises use of existing

warehouses and provides greater accuracy in

determining the value of Defence assets. Based

on this sound foundation, further logistics reforms

involving smarter investment decisions and

improved warehousing and distribution will

result in better, more cost-effective logistics

management in Defence.

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jOINT ELECTrONIC FuEL MANAGEMENT PrOjECT

The Joint Electronic Fuel Management (JEFM)

Project is an initiative set up to improve the end-

to-end bulk fuel management across the entire

Australian Defence Force. The JEFM Project vision

is to establish a world-class integrated bulk fuel

management system where fuel management

decisions at all levels are based on high quality

reliable data. A system where our people are fully

trained and are committed to achieving sustainable

improvement in bulk fuel management and

reporting outcomes.

The primary objective of the JEFM project is

to procure and implement a commercial-off-

the-shelf, enterprise level, bulk fuels information

management system.

What does this mean for Defence?

A centralised process of fuel management across

all sites will be easier to use, produce quicker

reporting turn around times and improve data

quality and analysis for effective purchasing and

operational planning.

The system will be known within Defence as the

Joint Fuels Information Management System

(JFIMS). JFIMS will exist as a web-based application

on the Defence Restricted Network and will be

supported by the JFIMS Support Centre. The JSC

will be responsible for the management of user

account administration, help desk, fuel cards,

transactions from commercial service stations

and application maintenance.

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Overall responsibility of JEFM project resides with

Director General Materiel Information Systems and

the sponsor of the project is the Strategic Logistics

Branch of the Joint Logistics Command. Directorate

of Logistics System Sustainment will be responsible

for the overall management of the JSC.

Where will JFIMS be located?

JFIMS will collect data from all defence bulk fuel

installations and be located at a large number

of ground fuel sites across Australia, RAAF

Butterworth, HMAS Success and HMAS Sirius.

The introduction of JFIMS will not alter the physical

configuration of fuel facilities, although some

equipment will be upgraded.

Who will be operationally impacted?

Fuel operators and users will be issued with

new fuel cards and will input data into the JFIMS

intranet website rather than current spreadsheets/

databases. Fuelcard readers will be upgraded.

Joint Fuels and Lubricants Agency (JFLA) will have

significant changes in their business processes and

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The implementation of a new fuels information management system will provide the Australian

Defence Force with quality data to allow logisticians to better forecast fuel usage for operations

and predict future Defence fuel requirements.

Important dates:

• Oct/Nov 2008 – Detailed Design Review (DDR) and Support System

Detailed Design Review ( SSDDR)

- Mission and Support system design finalised

- PMSG to endorse DDR and SSDDR

- Supplier to commence build and test after completion on DDR and SSDDR

• March 2009 – Commence JEFM Pilot

- Trial implementation to test live system on limited sites

(JFLA, HMAS Edinburgh & RAAF Stirling bases) over a 2-month period

• July 2009 – Commence JEFM Rollout

- Rollout of JFIMS program across all sites over a 12-month period

For further rollout and training details, refer to the JEFM intranet website:

http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dmoweb/Sites/LAP/comweb.asp?page=14017&Title=JEFM

procedures when they move to the new web based

application system.

Navy, Army and Air Force will have direct access

to service fuel information via the JFIMS intranet

website (currently the Services liaise with JFLA

to access this information).

Benefits of JFIMS

JIFMS will assist logisticians make more effective

fuel purchasing decisions for bulk marine, aviation

and ground fuels. The improved user access, more

efficient transaction recording and greater visibility of

data, and improved reporting of stocks will result in

better overall coordination of fuel management.

Further information

EFM Project Team

MAP.JFIMS@defence.gov.au

or

Project Manager

SQNLDR Rosemary Johnson

Rosemary.Johnson@defence.gov.au

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The Defence Logistics Committee (DLC) is a

sub-committee of the Defence Committee. The role

of the DLC is to provide a strategic focus on, and

to be an advocate for, the vital place of logistics in

Defence capability. CJLOG chairs the DLC, which

meets every two months.

The DLC’s roles and responsibilities, membership,

agendas, papers and minutes are available via

the Intranet (DRN) under VCDF > Joint Logistics

Command > Strategic Logistics Branch >

Committees/Working

DI(G) LOG 4-3-010

Defence Policy for the Management of Insensitive Munitions

A revised policy which supports the

management of insensitive munitions (IM).

IM is defined as those munitions which

reliably fulfil their performance, readiness and

operational requirements on demand, but

which minimise the probability of inadvertent

initiation and severity of subsequent collateral

damage to weapon platforms, logistic systems

and personnel when subjected to unplanned

stimuli. The policy applies to all personnel who

are responsible for the capability definition,

procurement and/or in-service management

of explosive ordnance within Defence.

ADF Force Extraction Cleaning Manual

Following a review of the relationship between

the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service

(AQIS) and Defence, an Army force extraction

cleaning and inspection procedures publication

has been completely updated, reformatted

and renamed, to be released as a tri-service

publication ADF Force Extraction Cleaning

Manual. This manual is designed to ensure

that all vehicles and equipment/kit cleaned in

accordance with its requirements are allowed

to land in Australia and not be re-exported

by AQIS. JLC Strategic Logistics Branch

is working with the DMO to arrange that

contractors supplying equipment to the ADF

which require cleaning will create a cleaning

document for inclusion in the operator’s manual

supplied with each vehicle/piece of kit.

THE LINKDefence Logistics Magazine

IN THIS ISSUE

New Multi-Role HelicoptersFor The ADF

KC-30A: The Next Generation Tanker/Transport Aircraft

ISSUE 4 Oct 2008

to train, fi ght and win

strengthening communication along the logistic chain

LOGISTICS

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