Australia is now gearing up to boost its defense capabilities with a massive budget allocated for hi-tech missiles amid growing concerns about the military build-up of its close neighbor, China.
With a whopping $1.7 billion budget, the country aims to add a massive number of Tomahawk missiles to the Australian Defence Force. The latest plan is to upgrade the country's defense capabilities by expanding its military and naval forces and looking into manufacturing missiles locally.
Australia Gears Up Against China With $1.7 Billion Budget for New Tomahawk Missiles
Australia's News.com reported that there are growing concerns over China's increasing military presence in the region. According to Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy, the government is allotting as much as a $1.7 billion budget for the country to buy more missiles.
The government plans to purchase hundreds of medium-range advanced and high-speed missiles to expand the strike power of the Australian Defence Force that it would need in terms of hostile situations.
Conroy noted that as "we enter what many are calling the missile age," these new weapons will serve as one of Australia's frontline defense "tools" against significant threats that come its way.
200 Tomahawk Missiles for Australian Defence Force
Missile Threat describes the Tomahawk missiles as long-range artillery originating from the United States, with a deep-strike capability, and carrying either traditional or nuclear payloads.
Australia's navy will soon receive more than 200 Tomahawk missiles from the United States that would initially be fitted to the Hobart-class destroyers or later be installed on the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines that the country also plans to buy from the US and then build itself in the next decade.
In March, the US State Department approved the sale of $1.3 billion worth of Tomahawk missiles. Australia will be the third country to use the Tomahawks next to the US and UK.
International Defense
China is currently one of the strongest and growing countries. Several countries have already expressed concerns regarding the growing military presence of China in the region.
There is a plan in the US to control the Chinese drone exports arriving in the country as the tech war between the two nations intensifies. Australia is also growing wary about China's tech.
Recently, Australia has banned TikTok on government-issued devices as the famed social media app is highly believed to have a security issue. It followed the ban on WeChat, a renowned Chinese instant messaging app that is highly used in the country.
Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles noted that it was important that the country could defend itself in a growingly tumultuous global landscape.
"We are investing in the capabilities our Defence Force needs to hold our adversaries at risk further from our shores and keep Australians safe in the complex and uncertain world in which we live today," Marles added.
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