Air Vice-Marshal Kym Osley AM, CSC
AVM Kym ‘Koz’ Osley joined the South Australian Air Training Corps (now No 6 Wing of the Australian Air Force Cadets) for 3.5 years before enlisting in the Royal Australian Air Force at 17 years of age in January 1977. He flew as a Weapon Systems Officer in fast jets – including the Phantom, F-111 and F-18. As Commanding Officer 1SQN, he led his F-111 squadron on combat operations over East Timor in 1999. In 2000-2002 he was the Air Force’s senior representative in London for the UK and Europe before becoming Officer Commanding No 82 Wing.
AVM Osley deployed as Director of the Coalition Air Operations Centre in the Middle East in 2006/07 where he directed the employment of 425 Coalition aircraft and 25,000 airmen and on occasion flew on combat missions in the B1B Lancer, the F-18F Super Hornet and other aircraft. He was Commander Air Combat Group (F-18/F-111/Hawk aircraft) in 2007/08 before taking up the role of senior Defence representative in the US in 2008-2010. He then led the $17Bn Australian F-35 Program. In 2014 AVM Osley transferred to the Air Force Reserves where he continues to serve the Australian Air Force Cadets as the Chair of the AAFC Foundation. In civilian life he was a Managing Director for an international consulting firm for many years, before more recently becoming a Director and Chair of several defence and aerospace-related Boards.
AVM Osley is the Patron of the Australian Federation Guard, a Patron of the WW2 467-463 SQN Association, Mentor for the RAAF Beaufort Association, a Master Air Navigator of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, a Fellow of the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies and is Executive Secretary (and a Fellow) of the Australian Institute of Navigation. In his spare time he is a keen cyclist, enjoys reading, and has written a military biography.
AVM Osley has a BSc (Physics), a Master of Defence Studies and a Master of Arts. He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School (AMP) and was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his contributions to Air Force’s Air Combat capabilities over many decades.
AVM Osley and his very forgiving wife, Debbie, have ‘enjoyed’ 18 house moves during his (nomadic) military career! They have three grown sons and four grand-children at last count.
