Australia must turn itself into a “porcupine” island fortified with enough lethal weaponry to deter an attack from a hostile rival, Defence Minister Richard Marles has warned in a stark illustration of the dangerous strategic environment the nation faces.
Marles also said he was open to nations such as Japan and New Zealand joining the AUKUS partnership with the United States and United Kingdom, even though he does not envisage other nations acquiring nuclear-powered submarine technology like Australia.
Defence Minister Richard Marles says he is open to the idea of nations such as Japan joining the AUKUS partnership.Credit: James Brickwood
“We need to make sure that our Defence Force is potent, that it is capable. We need to make Australia a difficult proposition for any adversary,” Marles said in an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
“In that context, we need to be a porcupine.”
The term “porcupine” is most frequently used to describe Taiwan and the idea it should be festooned with enough high-grade weaponry to dissuade China from trying to seize control of the autonomous island.
IllustrationCredit: Matt Golding
Marles said a key mission of the snap strategic Defence Force review he announced earlier this month was to ensure Australia could project enough lethal force to defend itself against an attack by a would-be aggressor.
As well as the long-range nuclear submarines that will be delivered under the AUKUS pact, he pointed to the possible acquisition of hypersonic missiles that can be fired thousands of kilometres.
Marles was speaking en route to Darwin where he visited Project Pitch Black, a major air force training exercise involving 17 countries including Australia, the US, France, Germany, Japan and Singapore.
China was pointedly not invited to join the exercises.
Asked about a proposal by John Bolton, Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, for Japan to join the AUKUS partnership as a bulwark against growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, Marles said: “I think we’re open-minded about that in time, but the focus now is bedding down the relationship between the three countries in this space so that we’ve actually created something meaningful.
“I think we need to start there in order to create something that might be of interest to other countries.”
Marles said fellow “Five Eyes” intelligence sharing nations such as Canada and New Zealand would be obvious candidates to join an expanded AUKUS partnership in the future, even if they are extremely unlikely to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
As Australia’s fleet of nuclear-powered submarines is not expected to arrive from either the US or UK until the 2040s, Marles said it was crucial to ensure Australia was not left without sufficient underwater firepower.
A separate review, due to report in March, will examine whether the life-cycle of Australia’s current fleet of Collins-class vessels can be extended long enough to fill the capability gap.
“My mind is very open, but we need to do whatever necessary to plug the capability gap until the next-generation submarines enter the water,” Marles said. “We know extending the life of Collins will form a part of that.”
The review will also recommend whether Australia will acquire the US-made Virginia-class nuclear submarines or British-built Astute-class vessels.
Even as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine extends beyond six months, Marles said the Australian government would continue to support the Ukrainian war effort with substantial military and financial aid.
“We support and we stand with Ukraine,” Marles said.
“We are engaged in the conflict because it is very relevant to our national interests. The global rules-based order matters everywhere.
“It matters that it be upheld in Eastern Europe and the Indo-Pacific: that’s why we’re supporting Ukraine, notwithstanding the fact it is a long way from Australia.”
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