A core objective of The Williams Foundation is to encourage informed discussion and debate on future air power capability. Accordingly, the Foundation is committed to supporting our future leaders and the development of their ideas. The Dr Alan Stephens Air Power Literary Prize seeks to recognise authors who have pushed the creative boundary, and forced the reader to imagine a new future.
The Central Blue received a number of high-calibre entries in 2022, with many varied and interesting themes. In fact, the top three submissions were hard to split. While there can only be one winner, we felt it particularly pertinent to offer two honourable mentions.
Honourable mentions
The case for a National UAS Strategy by Pilot Officer Tim Sullivan (AUG 22): In his submission, Tim Sullivan asks the reader to consider if it is time the Australian Government devised a National UAS Strategy that intertwines keeping the ADF at the forefront of ever-changing UAS technology whilst expanding Australia’s industrial capability and global footprint. In asking this question, Tim explores several components of such a strategy and lays out a rationale for developing it with urgency.
Airpower, baby! How Air Force can unlock latent workforce capability by Squadron leader Ben Gray (JAN 22): It’s no secret that people are the principal capability that keeps any organisation functioning and competitive. In his submission, Ben Gray looks at Air Force’s flexible employment practices and how these options are vital in retaining and expanding the experienced and talented workforce the Royal Australian Air Force possesses.
Prize Winner
While there are a number of other stellar contributions which you can read on our site, we can only have one prize winner.
We are pleased to announce the 2022 Dr Alan Stephens Air Power Literary Prize winner is Flight Lieutenant Joshua Vicino.
In his submission Smart but Not Smart Enough – When Having an Engineering Degree Doesn’t Cut It, FLTLT Joshua Vicino asks the question – how can Defence maximise the brain power of its people with engineering degrees in a post-FPR world where a typical engineering degree isn’t of great assistance in a ‘govern and assure’ role.
We congratulate FLTLT Joshua Vicino on his winning article.