The Australian authorities mentioned on Thursday it could spend greater than A$1bn (US$680mn) on superior missile defences, together with the US-made Himars system that has proved successful in defending Ukraine from Russian invasion.
The Himars bundle, which incorporates launchers, missiles and coaching rockets, will present the Australian military with a “vital functionality enhance”, mentioned Richard Marles, the nation’s defence minister.
CEA, an Australian firm, will present a radar system to be built-in with the Himars launchers, he added.
The US state division mentioned in Might that it had permitted the sale of Lockheed Martin’s M142 Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers and associated gear for an estimated US$385mn.
The system is anticipated to be deployed in Australia in 2026-2027.
“Within the present strategic surroundings, it’s essential the Australian Defence Power is supplied with high-end, focused army capabilities,” Marles mentioned.
The Himars announcement comes a day after Canberra signed a take care of Norwegian group Kongsberg to produce naval missiles for Australian destroyers and frigates from 2024.
Australia lately has taken a extra high-profile defence posture, with the earlier conservative authorities rising army spending and signing a trilateral safety pact with the US and UK in 2021.
Final month, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned after a gathering with Marles that Washington would “deepen our defence co-operation” with Canberra.
Austin mentioned the US plans to deploy extra fighters, bombers and different belongings in Australia within the face of “harmful and coercive” Chinese language actions within the Indo-Pacific area.
