The 2020 Defence Strategic Update, announced on the 1st of July which involves some $270 Billion set to go towards rearming the Australian Defence Force to prepare for a more dangerous post-pandemic world, and a new age of great power competition between China and the United States.
A large portion of Canberra’s additional commitment of approximately $70 billion on top of the existing $200 billion defence budget is set to go towards improving Australia’s regional strike capabilities – with $800 Million used for purchasing American built Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM), $9.3 Billion on R&D for long-range, potentially hypersonic, offensive weapons as well as a potential investment in anti-missile defence capacities.
We Speak to Associate Professor Matt McDonald from the UQ School of Political Science and International Studies and Asia Society Policy Institute Chair and Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd about the Defense Strategic Update
Joseph Humphereries reports
[Image - HMAS Perth - US Navy/Raul Moreno Jr]