The ASTRA Project

The ASTRA Project is an initiative of 1 Cdn Air Div designed to make the Air Force a highly capable, tightly integrated modern force able to exploit our increasingly advanced technology. It aims to cultivate “Automation Airmanship” among our aviators and drive transformational changes that will affect everyone in our Air Force. ASTRA will help us meet the challenges of a high operational tempo, personnel shortages, and decreasing experience levels while ensuring that we remain one of the most operationally focused and best prepared air forces in the world.

The ASTRA acronym defines the four important fronts where work is progressing with these objectives:

• Implement a new Standards program to unify Air Force operations and management functions;
• Update Training programs to meet the requirements of modern operations;
• Strengthen performance measures, evaluation mechanisms and unit assessment programs to achieve high levels of operational Readiness; and,
• Instil an Automation culture to ensure safe and efficient operation of modern, highly automated weapons systems.

The guiding principles of ASTRA come from the Commander’s Automation Philosophy issued in 2007. In keeping with this Philosophy, ASTRA is developing new and updated policies, procedures, and practices to support improved operations. Members can expect to see an increased level of coordination across fleets, from updated Flying Orders, SMMs, and AOIs to improved standards in training and evaluation and more effective use of training resources.