The head of the Ministry of Defense Industry, Pat Conroy, has announced the acquisition of a set of more than 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a total value of 830 million dollars, which are considered highly sophisticated and powerful elements in the Australian armory. This step is part of the military review initiative in which the country is immersed, focusing on strengthening its long-range attack capabilities with the aim of deterring possible adversaries, including China.
Pat Conroy stressed that as we move into the “missile age,” these weapons become essential to the Australian Defense Force in its work to protect the population. The Tomahawk missiles, with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers, will be used on nuclear-powered submarines purchased by Australia as part of the landmark AUKUS deal.
Additionally, it has been reported that Australia accepted an offer from the United States to obtain Himars rockets, a mobile artillery system used by the Ukrainian military. Washington is also lending its support to establishing a local missile manufacturing industry in Australia, seeking to streamline supply chains that have faced disruptions due to the conflict in Ukraine.
In recent years, the US military has conducted tests of prototype hypersonic cruise missiles at the Australian Defense Force firing range, located in the remote south of the country. This focus on modernizing and expanding military capabilities underscores the growing importance of maintaining a defensive and deterrent position in a region of growing geopolitical competition.