Australia to purchase $4.7 billion worth advanced long-range US missiles
- In Reports
- 04:21 PM, Oct 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
In a massive foreign military transaction, Australia revealed this week that it will be purchasing $4.7 billion worth of American-made SM-2 and SM-6 missiles, two of the most sophisticated air defence interceptors in the world.
Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, announced on Tuesday that the two governments completed the deal this spring. While he didn’t provide exact numbers or a timeline for delivery, he mentioned that the funding for the project will span over the next decade. “There was a strong view we needed to both upgrade the capability of air defence, but also increase the numbers of missiles we’re holding,” Conroy said in an interview while visiting Washington.
Australia's 2024 defence strategy, released in April, highlights missile defence as a top priority, specifically mentioning the SM-6. The plan includes doubling the number of major warships and strengthening its domestic defence industry. This reflects Australia's acknowledgement, similar to the U.S., that competition with China has become a normal part of its strategic environment.
Australia's defence budget, released in May, allocated a record $37 billion, which is just over 2% of the country's GDP, to its military. The government plans to increase this to 2.3% of GDP, aiming for around $67 billion by 2033-2034. Australia's defence against advanced missile assaults will be strengthened by the SM (Standard Missile) Block IIIC and 6, which can also serve as an anti-ship weapon in the event of an advanced missile attack. Both are produced by the American missile manufacturer Raytheon and have medium and long ranges, respectively.
“This combination of long-range air defence, anti-ship strike capability ... and giving us our first ability to defend against ballistic missiles through terminal ballistic missile defence was a huge step forward for our navy,” said Conroy. In August, the HMAS Sydney fired an SM-6 from a warship during a military exercise close to Hawaii, making Australia the first nation outside of the United States to do so. For its own stockpiles, the Pentagon has requested 125 of the missiles in its planned fiscal year 2025 budget.
The Army started using the SM-6 missile as part of its mid-range missile launcher system, which was deployed to the Philippines this year. This move upset China. Conroy met with the heads of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force as well as the deputy secretary of defense while he was in Washington. They discussed advancing the AUKUS agreement between Australia, the United States, and Great Britain, which aims to share advanced technology and nuclear-powered submarines, as well as collaboration between the two defence industries.
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