Defence resets sights
Long range missiles, unmanned drones and underwater vehicles, cyber and space capabilities will be critical for Australia to project its power in an increasingly unstable region, a new defence outlook will warn.
Ahead of Anzac Day the federal government will on Monday release a declassified version of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR), a comprehensive examination of Australia’s force posture, structure and capabilities that will also act as a blueprint for how the nation should respond to emerging and future threats.
To determine the capabilities required to achieve this, former Australian Defence Force chief Sir Angus Houston and former Labor defence minister, now High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith were commissioned to conduct the independent DSR.
The final report was handed to government in February, while the redacted version released this week is expected to outline broad strategies and priorities, as well as included recommendations about the future of specific military projects. When details of the
AUKUS nuclear-submarine deal were released last month the government revealed the new program would not add any additional cost to the budget over the four year forward estimate period.
The initial cost of bolstering the capability in US and UK naval shipyards as well as infrastructure upgrades in South Australia and Western Australia would be covered in part through funds previously allocated to the now defunct French submarine program.
But about $3 billion was to be found within the existing Defence budget, though the government did not reveal at the time what would be cut or delayed. It has since been confirmed the review will recommend the number of next generation Infantry Fighting Vehicles for the Army be slashed from 450 to now only 129, while the acquisition of new self-propelled howitzer canons be immediately cancelled.
The shift from investment in land-based capability to more long range missiles and autonomous vehicles is understood to bepart of the broader capability strategy outlined in the review, with the specific projects recommended for cutting not directlylinked to the need to fund the early AUKUS submarine program costs.
It has also been revealed a range of new capabilities and commitments announced under the previous Coalition government wereunderfunded by about 24 per cent over the next four years, and $42 billion over the next decade.
Speaking in Question Time last month Mr Marles accused the Coalition of often having “absolutely nothing” behind its Defenceannouncements, and vowed Labor would properly budget for each capability.