The Australian government will spend 1 billion Australian dollars ($ 770 million) in the first phase of work to create the latest guided weapons for the country's Navy.

This was reported on the website of Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds.

"The government of Scott Morrison (Prime Minister of Australia. -

RT

) plans to invest a billion dollars in the launch of the first phase of the development of advanced guided weapons in order to strengthen Australia's maritime security," - said in the message.

As part of the modernization, it is planned to provide the country's Navy with the latest long-range anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles, torpedoes and other weapons.

“The new capabilities will create a strong and reliable deterrent that will ensure stability and security in the region,” said Minister Reynolds.

  • Australian Defense Secretary Linda Reynolds

  • Reuters

  • © Brendan Smialowski / Pool

It is specified that these investments will become part of the government's plan in the field of naval shipbuilding.

The strategy assumes a total investment in the industry in the amount of 183 billion Australian dollars ($ 141.4 billion).

The plan was published in 2017.

The document plans the largest update of Australia's naval forces since World War II.

It has a long-term character and provides for cooperation with France.

For this, Canberra signed an intergovernmental agreement with Paris.

"Containment of aggression"

The Australian authorities have long made efforts to develop the defense industry.

So, in early 2018, the Prime Minister of Australia (then this post was held by Malcolm Turnbull. -

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) announced the government's plans to increase the production and supply of military-industrial complex products to the world market.

Canberra has set itself the goal of becoming one of the world's top ten arms exporters, the minister said.

To this end, the Australian government has provided a government-backed loan program for domestic arms manufacturers.

  • Assembly workshop of Austal

  • Reuters

  • © US Navy / Austal USA / Handout

At the end of 2015-2019, Australia ranked 19th in the list of world arms suppliers.

Such data were provided by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

During the same period, the country took fourth place in the list of the main buyers of military equipment, behind Saudi Arabia, India and Egypt.

According to experts, Australia now really needs to restore its defense potential.

“Thus, the defense industry that was in the country in the 1970s and 1980s is now destroyed.

For example, Australia does not manufacture its own aircraft, only individual components.

In terms of the production of components, Australia is strong, but it cannot produce full-fledged weapons, "Mikhail Alexandrov, a leading expert at the Center for Military-Political Research at MGIMO, said in an interview with RT.

According to the expert, now the country relies on the supply of American weapons, which makes Canberra dependent on Washington.

“With regard to specific plans to create guided weapons, the Australians quite correctly assessed that now the key role is played not by aircraft carrier groups, but by the range of missile weapons,” the expert added.

According to a military expert and senior researcher at the Higher School of Economics Vasily Kashin, Australia is now starting a rearmament cycle, which coincides with the growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The Australian authorities are preparing several major fleet renewal programs, including the underwater one.

However, so far Australia cannot boast of the role of a major arms exporter, all systems are imported.

So the creation of a powerful defense industry will require significant efforts from Canberra, "the expert emphasized in an interview with RT.

To date, Canberra's plans, in addition to modernizing the navy, also include joint development of hypersonic weapons with American colleagues.

The parties signed a new agreement on cooperation in the development and testing of experimental samples of hypersonic cruise missiles.

This was reported in December 2020 by the Australian Department of Defense.

Commenting on the news, Defense Secretary Linda Reynolds said Canberra intends to contain "aggression" against the country's interests.

“This is why we will continue to fund capacity building to enhance the ability of the Air Defense Forces to contain aggression against Australian interests,” she said.

Role in American strategy

Australia's defense policy is intensifying simultaneously with the growth of the state's geopolitical ambitions.

The 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper stated that Australia is a regional power with global interests.

As the former Australian Ambassador to Russia Peter Tesch later explained, under the global interests, Canberra means the strengthening of global economic institutions, as well as the solution of problems such as terrorism, cybersecurity, security in space, etc.

At the same time, there has been a clear increase in contradictions between Australia and China recently, experts say.

So, Canberra is monitoring the situation around Taiwan.

On January 25, Australian Defense Secretary Linda Reynolds said that "the Australian Government continues to monitor the situation in the Taiwan Strait very closely."

The statement was made after the appearance of the aircraft of the PRC Air Force over the strait.

  • Chinese Air Force fighter

  • Reuters

  • © Alex Lee

“We call on all parties to settle disputes peacefully within the framework of international law.

We also encourage them to take into account the wishes of people on both sides of the strait, ”said Reynolds.

Earlier, the head of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen said that in recent years the Australian government "has adapted its regional strategy to match the pace of changes in the region."

“Australia has become more forward-thinking about national security.

We are deeply impressed with the operational steps that Australia has taken to protect not only its country, but the region as a whole, ”the Taiwanese leader said in a statement.

According to experts, the attention Canberra pays to the situation around Taiwan is an additional challenge for Beijing.

“Australia and China now have a tense relationship.

And this despite the fact that Australia is economically dependent on trade with the PRC.

However, it is China that is now considered by the Australian authorities as the main external threat and object of containment.

In addition, Indonesia is considered as a potential threat, ”Mikhail Alexandrov explained.

According to the expert, Canberra is worried about the growing power of China, which may soon become the dominant power in the Pacific Ocean.

Vasily Kashin adheres to a similar point of view.

Commenting on the words of Linda Reynolds about the "deterrent" of new weapons, the expert noted that it is about deterring China.

“Australia's military doctrine is primarily focused on deterring China, and to a lesser extent on Indonesia.

The crisis in relations with the PRC began after Australia called for an investigation against the Chinese side on the origin of the new type of coronavirus.

Now this crisis is in full swing, ”explained Vasily Kashin.

The expert added that such a confrontation is not easy for Australia, since up to 40% of Australian foreign trade turnover falls on China.

Political contradictions have already noticeably affected the trade and economic sphere.

In December, Australian Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism Simon Birmingham announced that Canberra would file a complaint with the WTO about China's restriction of barley imports from Australia.

  • Members of the Australian Armed Forces

  • Reuters

  • © Jason Reed

Earlier, in November 2020, the Chinese authorities announced an increase in import duties for Australian wines from 107 to 212%.

Experts attribute the growing hostility between China and Australia to American influence.

“Australia is acting in line with the American policy of creating an anti-Chinese coalition in the Pacific.

Plus, Canberra itself fears the growth of Chinese power, ”explained Mikhail Alexandrov.

Vasily Kashin expresses a similar opinion.

“Australia is playing an increasingly important role in the American strategy of containing China, the trend is only growing,” the expert concluded.