Defence expert on how Cairns can become major strategic hub in the Pacific
A leading defence and space expert has revealed how Cairns could make the most of its Far North position to become a key strategic hub for projecting Australia into the Pacific and even into space.
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A defence and space expert has revealed how Cairns could make the most of its Far North position to become a key strategic hub for projecting Australia into the Pacific and even into space.
Dr Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and expert in space policy, space security, and strategy and capability development, said this year’s Defence Strategic Review made it clear that a reposture of forces towards the north is key to Australia’s future defence strategy.
“I know Townsville will be a key location for the army with key units being deployed there, but in terms of Cairns it is going to be focused on naval capability and air power,” Dr Davis said.
“Particularly if China does gain a forward presence in the southwest Pacific in places like the Solomon Islands then Cairns is going to become ever more important as a major forward base.”
Dr Davis said there was potential for larger ships to operate out of Cairns.
“I think it is something to consider as there is difficulty operating out of Darwin given the shallow waters there, so Cairns would be a logical alternative if we wanted to focus of the Coral Sea,” he said.
“The navy would have a greater ability to operate there rather than coming up from Jarvis Bay in the south.
“Cairns is positioned to be able to be one of the key locations from which the ADF can operate from and from which we can support partner navies including smaller south Pacific states such as Papua New Guinea.”
While Cairns could operate as a major naval hub, the small township of Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula could become a hub of projection in the air and higher into space through co-ordination between RAAF Base Scherger and the development of Space Centre Australia.
“SCA are potentially building a space launch site there so that would increase the importance of Weipa if we are launching rockets there will need to be infrastructure set up to support that and that's where Scherger could play a major role,” Dr Davis said.
Dr Davis said there was an opportunity to transform Scherger from bare base to a full scale base the likes of RAAF base Tindal in the Northern Territory.
“You then have Cairns as a navy base it makes sense to build that infrastructure up,” he said.
“It has to be built as a regular base to base B-52s or B2 bombers from the US so it would be up to the government as to whether they want to do that or not.”
Dr Davis said the potential was there to capitalise on a space launch location at Weipa, working with launch sites in Bowen and Nhulunbuy.
“The market is there, Australia signing the TSA (Technologies Safeguard Agreement) with the United States will help in this regards because the us would be looking to use Australian launch sites for their own missions so it helps to have more than one launch site to launch multiple payloads at a fairly regular tempo,” he said.
“The Queensland government should be pushing the importance of Weipa and Bowen, recognising the potential that these sites could offer.
“We are so well positioned for launch we’d be silly not to take advantage of that and make that our priority.”
There is, however, work to be done to make the most out of this stratospheric opportunity.
“Roads, ports and air bases are all needed to establish that space infrastructure in Weipa, its not just about the launch pads its also about the access and ensuring the supporting infrastructure is there,” Dr Davis said.
“That’s a good thing as it creates jobs for the local community, generates local prosperity. That all needs to be done that is conscious of the First Nations community.”
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