Australian Defense Force “One Shot Defense Force”: Senator Warns

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Federal Senator Jim Molan warned Australians of complacency, saying they needed to prepare for a conflict in the Indo-Pacific region.

He commented on Professor Emeritus of Law David Flint in the episode Calling australiaSaid Australia’s defenses could not withstand the protracted conflict.

“Governments from 2013 to the present have done more for national security than any other government on the Australian Defense Force (ADF). They have strengthened our defense capabilities over the last 75 years. We’ve pulled it to where it should be, “he said.

He pointed out a new strategic update for June 2020. This means that the federal government has promised ADF $ 270 billion (US $ 196 million) over the next decade in response to the Indo-Pacific region, which Prime Minister Scott Morrison described as a “rising epic.” is showing. Strategic competition. “

But according to Moran, “Still, we still have a defense that isn’t deadly enough. It’s not sustainable enough and we can’t fight for long periods of time … many people say they’re one shot. It is said to be the defense power of. “

Senator Jim Moran
Senator Jim Moran will give his first speech at the Australian Senate in Canberra, Australia, on February 14, 2018. (Michael Masters / Getty Images)

Moran had previously warned that the unstable nature of the country’s fuel stocks would leave the military in a vulnerable position in the event of a conflict.

Australia relies heavily on international supply lines that keep its engines running. Current estimates suggest that if supply is reduced, the country will have weeks of fuel reserves available (well below the 90-day threshold recommended by the International Energy Agency). ..

Such events will have a devastating impact on the country, as cars, planes, trains and trucks will stop and will have a significant impact on the transportation of goods such as food and medicine.

“There is no concept of what the nature of war is, neither within the government nor in this country,” he warned. “Australians have been tremendously peaceful for 75 years, and there is this perception that sometimes the ADF leaves and does something with the Americans. We paid the Americans a membership fee, and life is normal. it continues.”

“If there was a Taiwanese scenario, it wouldn’t,” he said, saying that the conflict in the Taiwan Strait is likely to involve all countries in the region, including Australia and the United States.

“We are probably one of the wealthiest countries in the world per capita GDP, about the 13th largest economy in the world, and a well-educated population,” he said. “We were able to protect this country. We just choose not to do it.”

The Australian Government has strengthened its defenses with the acquisition and development of new weapons systems, including the March announcement that it will spend $ 1 billion (US $ 730 million) on the development of its own guided missile production industry last year.

However, the recently signed AUKUS agreement with the US and UK governments represents the greatest step up in the country’s military power.

AUKUS allows the United States and the United Kingdom to support the acquisition of Australia’s nuclear submarines. A move that has a major impact on the Indo-Pacific power balance will increase the effectiveness of Australia’s naval capabilities and make it one of the six countries in the world to operate nuclear-powered submarines, despite being non-nuclear.

Currently, only India, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, France and Russia have similar capabilities.

The formation of AUKUS raises concerns about Beijing’s attitude and aggression in the Indo-Pacific region due to actions such as the takeover of Hong Kong, the construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, economic coercion against Australia, and ongoing military construction. Up.

Daniel Y. Ten

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