Message from the Chief of the Air Staff

On behalf of all members of the Air Force, both here at home and those who are deployed, greetings and welcome to the fall edition of Crew Brief.

Commander’s Call October 2004, Ottawa.

As friends of the Air Force, you know the old saying that flexibility is key to air power; never has that been more true than it is today. In these changing and challenging times, the Air Force must be flexible in its response to, and management of, the kind of large-scale, long-term re-engineering that is underway. It’s a challenge, to say the least — sort of like living in a house while undergoing extensive renovations.

So where are we in terms of Air Force transformation? Our crews are using state-of-the-art communications equipment on exercise, they’re flying pilotless aircraft over Canadian airspace, they’re fighting aerial battles from computer workstations, but most of all, they’re most certainly delivering the beginnings of the transformation mission.

One of the greatest challenges we face is convincing our own members that transformation is viable and possible, and that they are an integral part of the process. Without the support of all members of the Air Force team, military and civilian who support us, we cannot even begin to fulfill our vision. Transformation is as much about people as it is equipment, and we are working hard to inspire a fresh, new mindset to tackle the challenges that lie ahead on both those fronts. Our vision to create an Aerospace Warfare Centre, for example, will create a centre of excellence to address the future of air power and what it means for our people and our equipment.

However, significant changes to our organization will need to await the results of both the Defence Review and the International Policy Review. The security environment has changed dramatically since 9/11 and the traditional roles we have had for many years need to evolve to encompass the Defence and International Policy Review priorities.

So what does this mean to you, our Air Force stakeholders? The Chief of the Defence Staff has stated that the Canadian Forces must remain relevant to Canadians and that we must tell our story wherever possible. I invite you to consider sharing what you read in Crew Brief with those in your personal and professional circles. By fostering an accurate and informed debate, the Air Force can better tackle some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings about our organization, ones that have the potential to undermine what we are trying to accomplish.

Help us engage Canadians in the good news stories we have to share. Despite significant resource constraints, these are exciting times within the Air Force. Our folks continue to deliver important and essential capabilities to Canada and Canadians each and every day, and it’s their successes we want to convey.

Sic Itur Ad Astra

Ken Pennie
LGen
Chief of the Air Staff