The government will spend up to $1 billion to buy cutting-edge underwater weapons Smart Sea Mines. The moves, which represent Australia’s first major investment in sea mines since the Vietnam War, are meant to deter China and other potential rivals from sending ships and submarines into the country’s waterways.
Citing sources, the report said the government would soon say it had signed a contract with a European arms supplier to buy many sea mines. The Department of Defense plans to purchase sophisticated multi-effect land mines that respond to pressure, magnetic and acoustic impacts from approaching boats. In addition, they can be dropped from a plane, ship or submarine to the bottom of the ocean.
In the SMH statement, the ministry confirmed that it is expediting the purchase of smart sea mines. She said the new technology would help secure sea lanes and protect Australia’s borders.
High-tech mines can distinguish between military targets and other ships and distinguish them from indiscriminate land mines. A yet-to-be-confirmed European supplier will supply cutting-edge naval mines that can be activated and deactivated remotely.
Total coast range of $500 million to $1 billion
According to the sources, the total cost of the transaction is confidential, but it is likely to be in the range of $500 million to $1 billion. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese he would not entertain such national security concerns.
Anthony Albanese said “the government would respond quickly to the Strategic Defense Review, which meant a quick turnaround in readiness for new conflict arenas. “We have to make sure we have the best defense possible. So we’ve looked at missile defense, we’re looking at cyber security, we’re looking at all these issues”.
Australia aims to strengthen its maritime capabilities
Sea mines are self-contained explosive devices that can be placed in strategic chokepoints such as straits and harbors to detonate attacking enemy naval ships. Australia’s last significant effort to build a significant stockpile of sea mines was halted in the 1990s.
Defense experts have noted that the Australian Defense Force requires a combination of influence mines and more advanced cased torpedo mines that can be released from surface ships (coastal patrol vessels and occasional vessels), aircraft (P-8s and heavy lift units) and submarines. .
Experts say sea mines are a realistic countermeasure for Australia to implement as China invests huge sums of money in building a navy with long-range capabilities. In addition, the sea mine is also a highly adaptable weapon of war, giving nations both offensive and defensive capabilities. Under former Defense Minister Peter Dutton, the Australian Department of Defense initiated the SEA2000 project in 2021 to explore ways to improve its warfighting capabilities by deploying smart sea mines.
Over the past few years, Australia has sought to increase its defense budget and even signed a deal in 2021 to buy nuclear submarines from the US and UK. China has planned to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region and signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands last year. The moves by Beijing have alarmed the United States and Australia, which have long considered the region to be their sphere of influence.
According to Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, the country must be fortified with enough lethal weapons to resemble an island porcupine, or echidna in the local language, to repel an attack by a belligerent enemy.
The report noted that Marles will receive a comprehensive analysis of the national defense forces in early February to reshape the military to meet modern threats. Australia has recently made significant announcements regarding the acquisition of high-end weapons, bolstering its defense capabilities in the face of a serious threat from Beijing.
For example, Australia has signed a contract with Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) to purchase a significant number of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) and related equipment.
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