CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- Australia plans to buy 100 state-of-the-art U.S. jet fighters and double the size of its modest submarine fleet in a bid to keep pace with an Asian military buildup.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, announcing the plan on board the HMAS Stuart in Sydney Harbour on Saturday, said Australia's military must be prepared for any situation.
''It's important for our own capability requirements ... for the Australian Defense Force to be prepared to meet a range of contingencies arising from military and naval buildups across our region,'' Rudd said. ''That is prudent, long-term defense planning, and we believe we've got the balance absolutely right.''
The jet in question:
The government plans to buy 100 U.S.-manufactured Lockheed F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters to phase out the current Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets over the next decade.
In addition the country will produce 12 submarines with a longer range.
Wow, Rudd is actually taking Australia's defenses into account.
ReplyDeleteI loved Howard.
I have always been fascinated by Australia ever since as a teenager I saw the whole Mad Max series (plus AC/DC) and then we had this crazy city commissioner in Miami exile himself over there...
Reality is facing them.
ReplyDeleteNo Aircraft carriers means no credible force projection capacity. If you wanna run with the big boys you need to have a carrier or 2. Helecopter landing ships dont count. Park a couple of carrier groups in someones ocean and they sit up and take notice. Send a couple of Frigates and they wont bat an eyelid.
ReplyDeleteI would get 9 new subs and buy 1 medium to large carrier and convert the helecopter carriers (2) for mixed fixed wing/rotary usage. Giving the options of 1 carrier group or up to 3. 1 large group and 2 small groups.
Large carrier with say 70 planes and 2 small with 20 each. Now THATS credible force projection AND true flexibility for your naval forces.