ADDRESS BY

AIR COMMODORE SCOTT WINCHESTER

SENIOR AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE OFFICER AMBERLEY

DEFENCE IN BUSINESS

RAAF BASE AMBERLEY DEVELOPMENT, DEFENCE INNOVATION

825 ANN STREET, FORTITUDE VALLEY, BRISBANE QLD 4006

10 May 2016

INTRO: Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentleman

Thank you for the opportunity this evening to talk to you about

the current and future state of RAAF Base Amberley and the Air

Force’s Plan Jericho.

BACKGROUND:

First of all I will give you a brief overview of my own

career.

Grew up in BNE

Joined the Air Force in 1988 as a Logistics Officer. During

my 27 years I have performed a range of logistics and

broader combat support related appointments.

Undertaken three deployments, one in East Timor and two

to the Middle East

Three year exchange officer program with the USAF in the

Pentagon.

Held five command positions (Squadron, WG and Group).

Appointed Commander of Combat Support Group in

Dec 14.

Responsible for Air Force’s fixed airbases, expeditionary

combat support capability including expeditionary Health.

Command over 13 airbases, and 3100 personnel,

comprising of 20 per cent of the entire Air Force

permanent workforce, in units spread across all of

Australia’s States and Territories and at Butterworth,

Malaysia.

Also the Senior Australian Defence Force Officer at

RAAF Base Amberley, Australia’s biggest Air Force base.

AMBERLEY:

Key take away for you is that AMB is getting bigger and

there are business opportunities now and into the future.

Base has just entered into a significant program of

infrastructure development which will see the Govt

injecting $1B into base facilities between now and end of

decade.

This work will transform Amberley into an even more

significant Defence base – super base

Population of the base, which is made of a mixture of

military, APS and contractors is currently around 5,800.

By the end of the decade it is projected this will reach

close to 7,000.

During the peak of construction activity it is projected

contractor numbers will double (1,200 to approx 3,000)

WHITE PAPER: The future is looking bright for Amberley

and Defence. The Federal Government recently released the

2016 White Paper, providing a direction for Defence through

until 2035. Amberley was a large beneficiary; more personnel,

equipment and aircraft. This decade alone over $1bn is to be

spent on new facilities.

The base expansion offers exciting partnership

opportunities between business and Defence over the next

decade. So what do we currently have at Amberley and

what is planned?

Present:

Amberley is home to over 50 military units including AF,

Army and Joint. The current base aircraft fleet includes the

F/A-18 Super Hornet, KC-30 Air-to-Air refueller tanker

aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster heavy lift aircraft, and the

Heron remotely piloted aircraft.

Growth of Army - expand from two to three force

elements. 17 Construction SQN will relocate from

Holsworthy at the beginning of 2017. The new facilities,

worth over $71.8 million expected to be completed at the

end of 2016.

JLU warehousing and maintenance facilities – logistics

hub

Runway that is 3047m long to support a range of aircraft

from the very fast to the very large

The base currently has 1,664 hectares surrounded by

perimeter security fencing, however the total base area is

2,500 hectares

The base has the strong support of the local Ipswich and

wider Brisbane area.

Future:

Air Force - three major developments occurring over the

next decade - construction of the C-27J aircraft facilities,

the new Growler electronic attack aircraft facilities and

additional C-17 facilities.

C27J Battlefield Aircraft will be moving to Amberley at

the start of 2018. 35SQN will operate and maintain 10 of

these tactical transport aircraft. The C27J offers a unique

capability providing greater speed, range and payload

compared with aircraft in the current fleet.

C-27 facilities include new training facilities, a flight

simulator, an aircraft parking apron, in ground services,

new fire station and replacement on-base accommodation

and base conference facility.

Heritage removal / relocation to make way for new

facilities. Approvals received from Dept of Environment.

The works, which have commenced this year are expect to

be completed by the end of 2017, it is estimated they will

be worth $370.4 million.

Current fleet of 8 C-17A heavy airlift aircraft maintained

and operated by 36SQN at Amberley will see additional

facilities.

C-17 has been a game changer in the airlift space, allowing

the Air Force to shift large quantities of personnel and

equipment to all ends of the world.

With the acquisition of 2 new aircraft at the end of 2015

drove the need for additional facilities.

Works commencing in 2017 will include new workshops

and amenities, aircraft apron, explosive ordnance facilities,

refuelling stations and associated services such as security.

The estimated cost for the project is $219.4 million.

6SQN at Amberley will operate the 12 new EA-18G

Growler aircraft starting from 2017. The aircraft is the

pinnacle of next generation electronic warfare. It is an

airborne electronic attack platform whose operations aim

to deny, degrade, delay and deceive the enemy’s use of the

electromagnetic spectrum.

Strict security requirements drive much of the new facility

requirement. The build will include new buildings,

workshops, aircraft shelters, an aircraft apron, and in-

ground refuelling facility, simulator training facilities, a

multi-storey car park and improvements to base services

and infrastructure. This project is expected to be

completed by mid 2021, at an estimated cost of $348.6

million.

In addition to these major projects the base will receive a

new Air Traffic Control tower and base sewage treatment

plant.

EIG outsourced infrastructure delivery model – PM/CA,

MC

All future business opportunities at RAAF Base Amberley

are listed on the Australian Government Tender System

website, www.tenders.gov.au in accordance with

Commonwealth Procurement Rules. This website should

be your first point of call for information on potential

business opportunities.

Contractors

In addition to military units we have a number of private

contractors servicing the base in both short and longer term

capacities. Contractors that have currently undertaken business

opportunities at the base include:

- RUAG (ex-Rosebank Engineering) who conduct F/A-18

and P3 flight control maintenance activities. The

Amberley site undertakes a range of mechanical, fuel and

hydraulic repair services.

- Tasman Aviation Enterprises (TAE) who offer a range of

engineering, maintenance and niche manufacturing

services to Defence; ranging from aviation maintenance

and repair to industrial manufacture. Servicing F414

engine, Abram tank engine, JSF components

- Boeing Australia Ltd performs maintenance work on the

ASH. Boeing Australia is working with Boeing USA to

provide input to Australia's Airborne Early Warning and

Control (AEW&C) system.

- Raytheon provide avionics repairable items maintenance

for a range of aircraft

- Spotless Defence Services provides both Comprehensive

Maintenance Services and Garrison Support Services at

Amberley. Comprehensive Maintenance Services includes

General Building Works (GBW), Fixed Plant &

Equipment Maintenance (FP&E), Call centre, SME estate

advice and engineering operations. The Garrison Support

Services include hospitality, accommodation management,

laundry and dry cleaning, access control, cleaning, waste

management, grounds management and pest control.

- Without the support of contractors aircraft do not fly. Each

business that supports Defence plays an equally important

part in the projection of air power. The base

redevelopment is going to open up more business

opportunities and I encourage you all to consider

becoming a Defence industry partner.

Now for the last 5 or so minutes I have to speak I want to

change the direction of my talk away from Amberley to

future of AF as a whole.

PLAN JERICHO: Plan Jericho is the Chief of Air Force’s plan

to transform Air Force into a fighting force for the information

age. The framework outlines the way in which the Air Force

will fight in 2025.

There are three overarching themes of the Plan;

a. harness combat potential of an integrated force;

b. to develop an innovative and empowered workforce;

c. to change the way we acquire and sustain capability.

This plan is about bring about a 5th

generation Air Force,

one that is adaptive and agile, and integrated in the joint

environment. It will align our business with our platforms,

the JSF, P8, E7-A, C17 and KC-30 all demand a modern

fighting force.

All aspects of the way we do business are being looked at;

systems, training, personnel management, operations, our

enterprise will be transformed. It is not just the miliary

side either, the way we interact with contractors and our

reliance on them will need to keep pace.

The plan has 15 specific Projects delegated to one star

officers to manage. Examples include:

Enhance air/land integration

Enhance maritime operations

Establish AWC

Grow AF Cyber capability

As the Commander of Combat Support Group I have been

tasked with enhancing our air base capability. This

particular project has a focus on ensuring both our fixed

and expeditionary air base capabilities will be able to

support and protect our 5th

generation aircraft.

To evolve air base capability we will need industry

assistance to devise innovative ways to improve how we

do our business.

Military air movements - baggage and passenger tracking

software using an industry application.

Refuel aircraft delivered by civilian contractors.

Defence does not have the capacity to store vast quantities

of fuel and it will be critical we continue to have contract

partners to deliver the fuel in a timely manner to our bases.

Real time reporting of critical airbase services

Force protection technology – sensors, collect, analyse,

decide and disseminate

Business needs to be part of our plan to ensure we achieve

interoperability with our Army and Navy counterparts and

also Coalition Forces.

Air Force (and the ADF more broadly) need to work

closely with Industry to achieve the best operational effect.

The recent example of Operation Okra where within a

week of Govt announcement had jets in theatre in the

Middle-East preparing for operations over Iraq - would not

have been possible without contractor support.

Thank you for your time this evening and to Mr Blake Barrett

for his invitation to speak. I’d now like to open the floor for

questions.