// RNZAF Strategic Plan
FOREWORD
The RNZAF is facing one of the most challenging periods in our history. By 2014 we will introduce into service 28 new or upgraded aircraft, across our six different fleets. At the same time we will develop the capacity and skills of our people to ensure we operate these aircraft to their maximum potential, and continue to provide military air operations and support for our country.
There’s no question it’s an exciting time for us. We are mindful, however, that the world is a vastly different place to what it was 12 months ago. The global recession, implementing the outcomes of the Defence Transformation Programme and Defence Review ‘09 will create a whole new environment for us to operate in, and we must adapt. This means that we might soon be doing parts of our business in very different ways!
Now, more than at any other time, we must be prudent, yet innovative and creative. Above all, we must remain professional and we must deliver.
As an Air Force we have already started to look at ways we can cut our costs and use our resources to their utmost potential. We will use our resources more effectively and efficiently, in both traditional and non–traditional ways. To deliver all that is set out in this Strategic Plan and do so within a constrained budget, we will need to be innovative. Like every other business, we cannot simply rely on our traditional methods to ensure success.
This is a big ask, but one that I know we have the skills and talent to achieve. Our people are second to none – it will be the resourcefulness, professionalism, innovation and leadership of our people that will enable us to succeed during this period of change. We will continue to develop the skills and capability of our people. This will be essential as the changing environment encourages more opportunities for development rather than less.
It has been a strategic goal of the Air Force for some time to empower our people. We have become more ‘risk–aware’ than ‘risk–averse’, while always ensuring that the safety of our people and our reputation are not threatened. We will build on this to develop leaders of the future.
I encourage you to take some time to read this Strategic Plan. It’s our guide to what we have to do and how we’ll do it. In its essence it has not changed – but the environment in which we’ll get there has.
Annual Plans for the Air Force and subordinate units will flow from this Strategic Plan – providing a set of actions across the RNZAF that will combine to achieve the objectives of this strategy. Together we will ensure that we have the agility to adapt, be flexible, and to deliver.
Through all of this, our Vision remains the same – to be an Air Force that is the best in all that we do. The goals and actions set out in this Strategic Plan will get us there, providing us with a foundation to succeed in our new environment.
G. B. Lintott
CHIEF OF AIR FORCE