Defence strategy and spending for next decade unveiled
Defense Minister Richard Marles has unveiled the latest two-year strategy for Australia’s armed forces, including record spending for the military.
WHAT DID THE STRATEGY COME TO?
* The federal government will spend $14 billion on defense over the next four years and another $53 billion over the next decade
* Figures will make total defense the largest expenditure outside of war
* Mr Marles said the increase was due to increasing global threats and a changing strategic environment
* The increase in spending means Australia’s defense spending will reach 3 per cent of the country’s GDP by 2033; this rate was previously estimated at 2.33 percent.
* The Trump administration was calling on allies such as Australia to increase defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP
* The calculation of expenditure as a percentage of GDP uses the definition specified by NATO, which includes all defence-related payments, including veterans’ pensions.
* The definition sparked criticism from the opposition, who said the increase was only possible through “creative accounting”
* The defense minister also announced that undersea warfare and maritime capabilities will be priorities in the next two years
* Following the latest achievements in technology in Ukraine and the Middle East, priority will be given to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the support of long-range missiles and integrated air and missile defense systems.
* $130 billion will be spent on undersea warfare over the next decade, including nuclear submarines and Ghost Shark underwater drones
* $77 billion will be allocated to maritime capabilities, including development of the Mogami-class frigate fleet and replacement of Hobart-class destroyers
* Another $35 billion will be spent on long-range strike capability, including seaborne missiles, hypersonic weapons and air strikes
* Amphibious vehicles will also be given priority and up to 59 billion dollars will be spent
