CONCLUSION
Differences of opinion over the command and control of air power have been a feature of aviation in Australia since the formation of RAAF in 1921; indeed even the creation of the RAAF as a separate Service was opposed by the then CGS. In its early years, the RAAF was explicitly subservient to the other two Services, but began to emerge as a significant force during World War II. Nonetheless, the RAAF remained the sole supplier of Australian air power until the RAN established its own Fleet Air Arm after the war, operating fixed-wing aircraft from its two aircraft carriers. Frustrated by what it saw as the RAAF’s lack of attention to its requirements, the Army later followed suit, establishing its own air arm in the late 1950s, albeit with continued support from the RAAF.
The first requirements for helicopters were established by the Army during World War II, but the war ended before the helicopters could be delivered and the order was cancelled. Later, the RAAF acquired a few S-51s, but plans to form a larger helicopter force and develop other roles for helicopters did not emerge for many years. It was not until 1962 that the RAAF gained a significant number of helicopters to support the Army, but even then their role was seen by the RAAF as mainly search and rescue. Meanwhile, Army aspirations for larger helicopters to improve its tactical mobility remained unfulfilled for many years, while the RAAF, responsible for their introduction to service at the time, was occupied with introducing sophisticated new fixed-wing aircraft into service. The failure of the RAAF to adequately address the Army’s requirements led to tensions between the Services. As the RAAF Historian has noted, the RAAF should have strived to support the Army in the way the Army wanted, not the way the RAAF found least troublesome. It was against this background that the first RAAF helicopters deployed to support the Army in Vietnam.
The RAAF appear to have been reluctant to deploy its helicopters to Vietnam, which were ill prepared for the task. Moreover, the terms under which the helicopters were to be used were severely circumscribed by the Air Staff, creating difficulties for commanders on the spot in trying to meet local requirements. Inappropriate command and control arrangements, combined with other factors, led to tensions between Army task force commanders and the RAAF, creating significant local difficulties. Nevertheless, despite their limited numbers, RAAF helicopters established a high reputation for their operations in Vietnam, but these achievements may have been overshadowed by shortcomings in command and control. The failure of the RAAF to deal with Army requirements for close air support and specifically its failure to acquire Cobra gunship helicopters also added to friction between the Services.
By the mid-1970s, the RAAF’s fleet of helicopters had grown to include 31 Iroquois and 12 Chinooks, all designated primarily in Army support roles. However, although helicopters formed a significant force within the RAAF, they failed to gain significant advocacy at senior levels. Meanwhile, shortcomings in the command and control of RAAF helicopters deployed to support Army exercises may have added to the frustration felt by Army commanders, a situation not helped by the attitude of some RAAF pilots. Nonetheless, RAAF pilots gained considerable expertise in the operation of helicopters, supporting a wide range of operations in addition to the Army support task.
Meanwhile, Army aviation continued to grow, with establishment of the 1 st Aviation Regiment in 1966, followed by the Army Aviation Corps in 1968 and a new Army Aviation Centre in 1969. Army aircraft were closely integrated with Army field units and were based with the units they were assigned to support. However, the RAAF continued to provide basic flying instruction for Army pilots and much of the engineering support for Army Aviation. In 1984 the Department of Defence initiated procurement of Sikorsky S-70A Blackhawks for the RAAF, primarily to meet the Army’s requirements for battlefield mobility. RAAF specifications called for a high level of sophistication for these helicopters, but there were significant shortcomings in the acquisition process, notably in the ordering of spares and the estimation of support costs.
Following a review of Australia’s defence requirements, in 1986 it was decided to transfer control of Iroquois and the new Blackhawks from the RAAF to the Army, ostensibly to improve combat efficiency. The recommendation ran counter to earlier studies into the transfer of ownership, which found that the costs of moving the helicopters from one Service to another could not be justified. It seems likely that the move was motivated at least in part by earlier shortcomings in the support provided by the RAAF. Nonetheless, it is hard to see how the move might have been expected to improve inter-Service relations and joint cooperation.
Army Aviation expanded rapidly to absorb the new aircraft, establishing a second aviation regiment. Rotary-wing pilot training was also transferred from the RAAF with the establishment of the ADF Helicopter School. Initially, it was intended to retain the Chinooks in the RAAF, but in 1989 they were retired as an economy measure. However, it was soon found necessary to re-establish the capability and in 1995, four Chinooks were returned to service, but this time with the Army. The transfer and expansion of Army Aviation created a number of difficulties, especially in the coordination of logistic support and in the training and retention of Army pilots. Shortages led to a reduction in the availability of Blackhawks, which became most acute during 1995. This led to erosion of experience and skill levels amongst Blackhawk pilots, who were nevertheless required to conduct demanding exercises. Lack of currency was highlighted as a major contributory factor behind the collision of two Army Blackhawks during a night training exercise in 1996, even though this may not have been a significant factor.
Australian experience with the command and control of battlefield helicopters has not been a happy one, marked by bitter inter-service disputes that detracted from the ability of helicopters to achieve their full level of operational capability. Closer integration of the ADF and improved support structures should mitigate these problems in the future. Nevertheless, as a relatively small force, Australian Army Aviation faces significant challenges in maintaining a high level of aviation expertise.