In order to fulfil the priorities of the Defense Strategic Review, the Albanese Government is allocating $4.1 billion to purchase additional long-range attack systems and the local production of longer-range bombs in Australia.
The necessity to expedite and expand weapons systems, mainly land-based marine strikes and long-range missile launchers, is one of the Review’s main recommendations. Investments to restock our guided weapons and explosive ordnance (GWEO) supplies and to build Australian facilities for manufacturing sovereign missiles and munition systems round out the picture.
We are modernizing and restructuring the Australian Army to better suit the strategic environment.
The existing artillery range of the Australian Army will increase from 40 kilometres to more than 500 kilometres as a result of this investment in crucial capabilities.
Long-range strike capabilities costing $1.6 billion
With this investment, the ADF will be able to more precisely strike targets at a greater distance and increase our procurement of long-range missile systems, such as:
Accelerating the purchase of Precision Strike Missiles (PRISM) to achieve multi-domain strike impacts, as well as the delivery of additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related battle management and support systems.
Guided Weapons & Explosive Ordnance Enterprise to receive $2.5 billion –
A contribution to the GWEO Enterprise will provide the following:
Manufacturing guided weapons and their essential components will increase our independence, and by the middle of 2024, specific, costed plans will be provided to the Government for consideration.
produce specific long-range strike missiles, boost local air defence missile maintenance,
produce additional armaments, such as sea mines and 155mm artillery ammunition
Increasing our testing and research capabilities, quickly growing our storage and distribution network to accommodate a growing GWEO inventory, and acquiring more stocks of guided weapons to supplement other Defense weapons acquisition programs are crucial enablers needed to support an expanded GWEO Enterprise.
This declaration is a part of the Albanese Government’s $19 billion commitment over the forward estimates to accomplish the goals outlined in the Government’s response to the Review. It will result in an investment for GWEO that is more than double what was previously planned.
