Royal Australian Air Force leaders to arrive at Kirtland

  • Published
  • By Adam Bailey
  • Nucleus staff writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Leaders from the Royal Australian Air Force will soon be arriving at Kirtland, as the Air Seniors National Representatives are meeting here May 18-21.

The ASNR meeting is a bilateral forum for the RAAF and the U.S. Air Force to come together to engage on ways to improve their air force-to-air force relationship and interoperability. Participants will focus on operations, capability development processes, strategic logistics systems, and in improving science and technology cooperative research programs.

"This meeting is an opportunity for our two air forces to come together to discuss ideas, issues and topics central to our mutual security and lay the foundation for action plans that enhance interoperability between our air, space and cyber forces," said Maj. Gen. Johnston, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs.

Kirtland was chosen to host the ASNR because one of this year's main focuses is on space capability, one of several major functions here.

This RAAF-USAF engagement is especially timely and relevant because of recent US Defense Strategic Guidance noting the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to U.S. policy, which is also reflected in the forum's theme.

"This year's theme for ASNR is the 'Rebalance to the Pacific,' and recognizing the increased levels of cooperation between our Air Forces, which are built on a long history of engagement," said Air Vice-Marshal Davies, Deputy Chief of Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force. "For our part, the RAAF and USAF, through the ASNR, are focused on ensuring interoperability is maintained and further enhanced across the operations, logistics, science and technology and capability domains."

The forum will also highlight topics and concerns of mutual interest and significance towards achieving interoperability across air, space and cyber domains.

The meeting will be attended by 14 senior USAF and RAAF leaders of one- or two-star rank. The senior leaders will be representing Headquarters Air Force, Pacific Air Forces, and the Air Force Research Laboratory, and their counterparts from the Royal Australian Air Force and the Australian Defense Force's Defense Science and Technology Organization for the event.