Australian defense plans pivot from armor to missiles

Apr 25 2023 Staff Writer

Government commits to spending $19 billion to attain ‘longer-range strike capability’ for increased Australian defense

Australian defense plans pivot from armor to missiles

An Australian defense evaluation lays out plans to accelerate the country’s endeavors to procure missiles with longer ranges to counter the increasing danger presented by China. The Defense Strategic Review, which is 110 pages long, asserts that Australia’s geographical isolation can no longer guarantee its protection in the “missile age.”

The study advises Australia to alter its attention from land-based armor to “longer-range strike capability, with munitions produced within the country.”

The report comes amid increasing tension in the Indo-Pacific region over China’s stance towards Taiwan and its claims in the South China Sea. The Chinese military buildup is the largest and most ambitious of any country since World War II, according to the report. The review warns that China’s military build-up is occurring without transparency or reassurance to the Indo-Pacific region of China’s strategic intent.

To implement the recommendations from the Defense Strategic Review, which calls for the purchase of precision missiles with a range exceeding 500 kilometers, the Australian government has committed to spending $19 billion ($12 billion, £10 billion). This investment will provide the army with the necessary firepower and agility to meet future threats. The report also advises bolstering Australia’s northern defenses and enhancing the ADF’s operational capacity from bases in the region.

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Defense Minister Richard Marles said the new defense posture is aimed at keeping “a major power adversary like China … as far away as possible.”

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) analyst Malcolm Davis said the new defense posture is about deterrence. “What we’re trying to do is to deter China from using force to achieve its policy objectives, including Taiwan or in the South China Sea. So, it is about deterrence. But of course, deterrence can fail, as we saw with Ukraine, so you then have to be ready to respond.”

The report suggests that in order to finance Australia’s new goals, a number of projects should be put on hold, such as the development of self-propelled guns and ammunition supply vehicles for the army. Furthermore, Marles pointed out the significance of maintaining a “continuous shipbuilding capability” within the country. The report also proposes the purchase of long-range anti-ship missiles for fighter planes but states that the new US B-21 Raider stealth bomber is not a viable option at present.

Last month, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of 220 cruise missiles to Australia in a deal valued at $895 million. The non-nuclear missiles will be used by the Virginia-class submarines that Australia will acquire from the U.S. under the Aukus defense pact agreed upon by Australia, the U.K., and the U.S.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the review would “shape the future rather than waiting for the future to shape us,” and its recommendations would make Australia “more self-reliant, more prepared and more secure.” While the review was a “step in the right direction,” Davis said more needs to be done. “We need to spend more on defense … and we need to invest in getting [forces] much more rapidly into the field.”