AIR DEFENCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19044, 18 June 1936, Page 6

AIR DEFENCE

CHANGES IN SYSTEM

NEW BRITISH COMMANDS

CO-ORDINATION SCHEME

OPERATION NEXT MONTH

(British Oilici&l Wifeless.) Reed. 1.16 p.m. 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 Force, in order to provide an appropriate organisation of the enlarged tone, which will function with speed and efficiency in peace or war. The new organisation provides four commands as follows:—(1) A bomber command, controlling bomber squadrons: (2) a fighter command, controlling fighter squadrons, army co-operation squadrons and the observer corps; (3) a coastal command, controlling flying boats and the general reconnaissance squadron and administration, and the shore training oi squadrons of the fleet air arm; (4) a training command, which will, with few exceptions, control all training units at Home.

FIRST APPOINTMENTS. The air defence of the. country will be vested in the three operational commands, close co-ordination between which will be directly exercised by the A.. Ministry, The' first appointments >' these commands are to :; — Bomber Command. Air Marshal Sir John M. Steel. Fighter Command, Air Marshal Sir Hugh C. T. Dowding. Coastal Command. Air Marshal Sir Arthur M. Longmore. Training Command. Air Marshal Sir Charles S. Burnett. Changes affecting the administration oi a far-reaching nature, the main objectof winch are to provide for the decentralisation of administrative duties and for the exercise of fuller powers of resposibility by various commanders, and fo the reduction to a minimum of links in the chain of command in order to avoid delays and duplicated effort, are also introduced. The new organisation will be brought into force for the bomber, fighter an' 1 training commands' in July. The ehang' in the coastal command will follow Shortly afterwards.

AUSTRALIA'S PROTECTION

SELF RELIANCE NEEDED

P.FTLDING OP PLANES

(! OVERNM EN?' S INTENTtON

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Aasn.' (Reed. Juno 18, 2 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 18.

The Minister of Defence, Mr, R. A. Parkhill, in a broadcast address on "Australia's aerial defences," said that at present it was difficult to obtain delivery of orders for aeroplanes place., in Britain. In a time of emergency the possibility of getting aircraft from Britain would he almost negligible, he continued. II was the Government's aim, therefore, l<> establish the. aircraft industry in Australia, and action had been taken to achieve that result in the near future.