GUARDING OUR PRECIOUS SKIES – FINEX FILES

IATTENDED the launch and participated as a panel member of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Plan Velocity this month at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).

The Plan Velocity consists of

PAF established from a long term plan aiming to be achieved by 2028.

These initiatives are designed to catalyse the PAF to transform, provide focus and direction. The launch coincided with the awarding of AIM

sergeant to lieutenant colonel, and personnel.

They completed a program called “The Work of Leadership- Project Management for Development” under the Stephen Zuellig Graduate School of Development Management of the AIM.

The strategic initiatives will be implemented by these selected champions who represent the best and the brightest of the work force under the tutelage of the PAF senior leadership and a Multi Sector Governance Council.

The current security challenges of the nation are complicated by two emerging developments in military operations. Because of globalization and tensions in the West Philippine Sea, the PAF must become more credible to be accepted as a valuable partner in the common security arrangements with other nations within the strategic corridors of our region.

Second, the PAF must improve its capability in non-war mission areas such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response, international defense

seven civilian and security engagement and support to law enforcement operations including actions against gray area phenomena including terrorism and other international crimes.

In light of these challenges, the PAF is developing this 10-year transformation plan against a backdrop of overwhelming odds characterized by a sluggish and bureaucratic environment that sets to limit its resource-intensive capability and governance-focused build up.

The conceptualization of Plan Velocity was focused on providing a portfolio of strategic initiatives which will deliver the capability and credibility of the PAF at “top speed”.

the “establishment of an effective force presence within the Philippine territory and its exclusive economic zone with exhibited competence to defend the country and protect its national interests.

It also includes the ability to conduct wide surveillance and monitoring of developments within the country’s territory, have an extensive command and control, as well as the capacity to

untoward incidents if and when the need arises”.

This describes the endpoint the strategy intends to achieve. To reach this end point, the PAF has

mutually supporting strategic initiatives. These include establishing a secure and integrated joint command and control information system with all the other major services, attaining a full spectrum focused integrated air defense capability, attaining a high level 24/7 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system and operational readiness, enhanced air mobility capability, enhanced joint search and rescue and inter-agency disaster response capability, achieving an effective surface strike capability, optimising special operations capability to protect its assets, institutionalising strategic human resource management systems and integrated logistics system, establishing a relevant education, training and doctrine system, speeding up the implementation of the future force or personnel structure, developing a response-ready reserve force across the range of military operations, institutionalising a strategic leadership culture at all levels of the organization and a comprehensive base development and

integrated resource management system and

engagement program.

These initiatives were crafted with four themes which describe the manner of transformation by which these will be implemented.

- siveness when confronted with a directive from higher headquarters. The plan emphasizes the

- encumbered as possible without compromising logic and quality. This will lead to an organization capable and willing to carry out any directive with conviction and with appropriate haste.

The second is enabling operational integration. The plan endeavours to effectively require the organization and determination of critical path activities. It also ensures that the processes contain the proper steps to achieve the necessary output, service, or decision.

The third is pursuing targeted innovations. The plan will delve into research on possibilities to revolutionize operations, material, systems and processes. It recognizes the value of quantitative and qualitative R&D to address shortfalls and logistical limitations. It would also ensure the organization’s calibration of standards to match that of other Air Forces around the world.

The fourth is developing strategic partnerships. This will enable the PAF to become connected and engaged with stakeholders in a collective pursuit of its goals and objectives. This sets up a synergistic relationship with other government agencies and organizations to jointly pursue objectives with external support.

These themes and initiatives resonate with the digital culture mantra of “fail fast learn fast”. The Plan Velocity, in the words of the PAF