“Today, the Albanese government announces an increase in the number of warships in the Australian Navy to make it the largest fleet since the end of the Second World War,” announced Richard Marles, Australian Defense Minister. He emphasizes the exceptional nature of this investment in the Australian Navy, which will ultimately increase the number of ships at its disposal from 11 to 26, points out our correspondent in Sydney, Grégory Plesse.
The government plans to build eleven frigates, three destroyers, as well as six ships that can potentially be ordered without a crew, partly because of the labor shortage in the Australian navy, even if the minister announced his intention to have crews on board these vessels.
At the same time, the Australian navy will considerably strengthen its missile capabilities, in particular by equipping some of its ships with long-range Tomahawk missiles.
Strengthen yourself in the event of possible conflict
These announcements come after the publication of a strategic review, which found that the capabilities of the Australian navy were no longer adapted to face geostrategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific and that it should prepare for a potential conflict In the region. Australia, which formed the Aukus military alliance with the United States and the United Kingdom, seeks in particular to counter China’s influence in the South Pacific. This plan should see Australia increase its defense spending to 2.4% of its gross domestic product (GDP), above the 2% target set by its NATO allies.
While these investments will help fill the order books of Australian shipyards, they will also whet the appetite of global shipowners. German, Spanish, Japanese and South Korean companies are being approached to design these new frigates. The decision will be made in 2025, and the first deliveries should take place before the end of the decade.
This article is originally published on .rfi.fr
