Australia to join US ‘kill chain’

AUSTRALIA will join the “kill chain” of US air and missile defence in a move that could cut our military’s reaction times from 30 minutes to less than four.

A US-Australia force in the Pacific where ships, planes and radars of both countries operate as one has long been a dream for commanders.

A series of “sensor-toshooter” integration trials using surveillance and fighters from both countries has proved successful, paving the way for an unprecedented future forces alignment.

The shift to integrate warfare systems will advance Australia’s strike power in the region, in particular the ADF’s ability to respond to longrange threats.

It is also likely to mean more US ships, troops and aircraft including the B-21 stealth in Australia.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has reportedly expressed enthusiasm at the urgency of the Albanese government to further the AUKUS pact beyond shared nuclear-powered submarine tech to broader war-fighting integration.

Defence Minister Richard Marles was quiet on the detail but said as China sought to “reshape” the world, the alliance was vital.

“What that looks like is doing more exercises at a higher level, meaning more complex exercises – the military jargon would be ‘high-end war fighting’ – where greater interoperability is practised,” Mr Marles said.

He said disputes were better mediated and resolved through the rule of law than “might and power”, particularly in the South China Sea and Australia’s trade sea routes, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was a warning.

“Given the global rulesbased order is under more stress or as much stress as it has been since any point since the end of the Second World War, our interest lies in maintaining an American presence in the East Asian time zone,” he said.

The “kill chain” term refers to identifying a threat via reconnaissance or surveillance and striking.