Australia will acquire Tomahawk missiles from the United States as part of the newly created AUKUS security agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom.
The new Australia-UK-US agreement will make Australia one of the only countries in the world to operate nuclear submarines, despite ratifying the Non-Nuclear Submarine Convention.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison argues that Australia is not “seeking to acquire nuclear weapons or establish private sector nuclear capabilities.”
“We will continue to fulfill all our non-proliferation obligations,” according to a statement on September 16.
The Prime Minister instead specified the acquisition of long-range attack capabilities, including Tomahawk missiles. This accompanies existing commitments, including joint air-to-ground standoff missiles capable of attacking targets from 900 km away. Long-range anti-ship missile (a type of automatic missile). Continued cooperation with the United States to develop hypersonic missiles (high-speed missiles that can bypass defense shields).
In March, the Australian Government promised $ 1 billion to develop its own guided missile production industry.
The move was announced on September 16 by US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Morrison at a joint virtual press conference in their respective capitals.
At the heart of AUKUS, US and UK governments will support Australia on a “route” towards the acquisition of a nuclear submarine in ongoing tensions with the local Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the next 18 months. ..
“This eternal partnership announced today is the only and greatest initiative to reach these goals since the ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand, USA) alliance itself,” Morrison told Canberra reporters.
“This is the only biggest step we have been able to take to improve the country’s defense capabilities, not only now but in the future,” he added.
The agreement also facilitates cooperation in new areas such as cyber, artificial intelligence, quantum technology and submarine capabilities.
White House officials also said that involvement at this level was “rare.”
“As I have shown, this was done only once before, which was almost 70 years ago in the UK,” officials said. Told reporters September 16th.
“This technology is very sensitive. This is, frankly, an exception to our policy in many ways. I don’t think this will happen in any other situation in the future. This is a one-time thing. I consider it to be. “
Greens MP Adam Band was critical of Australia’s decision, arguing that “dangerous” nuclear submarines would place “Chernobyl in the heart of Australian cities.”
“It reduces Australia’s security and increases the risk of conflict in our region. [and] He wrote on Twitter on September 16th. “Green will fight this tooth and nail.”
David Leanbrick, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party of Victoria, Reply on Twitter“The Navy has moved away from fossil fuels and Greens is still unsatisfied. It won’t please some people!”
In a statement to the Epoch Times, Liberal Senator Eric Abetz said, “Our unique geography and our location in the Indo-Pacific require dynamic naval capabilities, and nuclear submarines are their purpose. Will be very helpful to you. “
