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Australia will acquire long-range strike missiles and other guided weapons to be fielded by the Australian Defence Force in deals worth $1.7 billion.
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Those purchases include more than 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles (1,500-kilometre range) from the US for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart Class destroyers for approximately $1.3 billion.
Australia has also approved the $431 million acquisition of more than 60 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER) air-to-ground missiles from the US for use on the Royal Australian Air Force’s Growler, Super Hornet and eventually F-35A Lightning II aircraft.
The government has also extended the $50 million contract for Varley Rafael Australia regarding delivery of Spike Long-Range 2 anti-tank guided missiles (five-kilometre range) early next year for use on Australian Army Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles. The Varley Rafael Australia will present options to Government for domestic manufacturing.
Dr Ran Gozali, RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems’ Executive Vice President, G.M Land & Naval Division said, “As a trusted partner and supplier of the ADF for 30 years RAFAEL looks forward to continuing to work closely with the ADF and our Australian industry partners to deliver forward-thinking solutions and capabilities that will strengthen Australia’s defence capabilities, and foster investment in Australia’s sovereign industrial capacity.”
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the new defence capabilities are expected to strengthen national security and respond to Australia’s strategic environment.
“With the acquisition of these formidable long-range strike missiles, the Albanese government is acting with pace to deliver on the recommendations of the Defence Strategic Review,” he said.
“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.
“The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of having not just war stocks, but a domestic missile manufacturing industry and this announcement will help deliver that.”
The Defence Strategic Review, released earlier this year, emphasised the need for Australia to be able to hold an adversary at risk further from home shores by developing the ADF’s ability to precisely strike targets at longer range.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said the approved advanced weapons are a clear demonstration that the federal government is delivering on the recommendations made in the Defence Strategic Review.
“As we enter what many are calling the missile age, these will be vital tools for the Australian Defence Force to do its job of defending Australians,” he said.
“We are buying these weapons now to deliver capability quickly, but we are also considering options to manufacture missiles domestically because of the importance of building sovereign Australian defence manufacturing capabilities.”
The federal government has previously approved doubling the number of high-mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS) launchers being acquired for the Australian Defence Force.
More than $1.6 billion has been committed to expanding the total number of land-based, long-range, surface-to-surface HIMARS to 42. Those plans also include efforts to procure precision strike missiles with a maximum range beyond 500 kilometres.
Minister Conroy said the government supports the accelerated acquisition of a long-range strike capability and Defence developing detailed plans for a guided weapons production capability to manufacture HIMARS-compatible missiles in Australia from 2025.
“Australia is investing in enhanced long-range capabilities across all domains, which will deliver a persistent, long-range, all-weather, rapid response capability that is operationally deployable and tactically mobile,” he said.
“As well as acquiring HIMARS from the US, the government is taking important steps towards domestic missile manufacturing, aiming to both build up Australia’s defence industry, protect our supply chains and contribute to easing global demand.”
