LARGER AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22911, 19 June 1936, Page 13

LARGER AIR FORCE

EFFICIENCY OF CONTROL CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATION (British Official Wireless) * RUGBY, June 17. The Air Ministry announces that the Air Council has decided to carry out important changes in the system of command and administration in the home commands of the Royal Air in order Jo provide appropriate organisation of the enlarged force, which will function with speed and efficiency in peace or war. The new organisation provides for foui commands as follows: —First, a bomber command, controlling bomber squadrons; second, a fighter command, controlling fighter squadrons, army cooperation squadrons, and observer corps; third, a coastal command, controlling flying boats and a general reconnaisance squadron and administration and shore training of squadrons of the fleet air arm,; and fourth, a training command, which will, with few exceptions, control all training units at home. The air defence of the country will be vested in the three operational commands, close co-ordination between which will bo directly exercised by the Air Ministry. The first appointments to these commands are;—To the bomber command, Air Marshal Sir John M. Steel; to the fighter command, Air Marshal Sir Hugh C. T. Dowdiug; to the coastal command, Air Marshal. Sir Arthur M. Longmorc; and to the training command, Air Marshal Sir Charles S. Burnett.

Changes affecting administration of a far-rcacliing nature, the main objects of which arc to provide for the decentralisation of administrative duties, for the exercise of fuller powers of responsibility by the various commanders, and for a reduction to the minimum of the links in the chain of command in order to avoid delays and duplicated effort, are also to be introduced.

The new organisation will be brought into force for bomber, fighter, and training commands in July. The change in coastal command will follow shortlv afterwards.