Defence upgrade in dangerous era

Upgrading the runway at the remote RAAF Base Tindal, 15km south of Katherine in the Northern Territory, is part of Australia’s contribution to US nuclear deterrence in the region. In September 2020, Linda Reynolds, the defence minister at the time, turned the first sod to mark the start of the work. As we reported the following month, the runway would be extended by 610m to 3353m and widened by 3m to 10.5m to “easily support future operations by B-52s, which have outrigger wheels at their wingtips”. The runway extension, fuel stockpiles and engineering works, to be completed across seven years, would support Australia’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as well as giant US combat aircraft, we reported. It is creating hundreds of jobs in the Top End. For all the kerfuffle from China and others over an ABC report that revisited the expansion on Monday, the development is not new.

But it is important to Australian security when our region has become more dangerous because of China’s rapid military expansion during the past decade and Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged that China will take over Taiwan, by force if necessary. As foreign editor Greg Sheridan wrote on Tuesday: “Sensible leaders are doing all they can to avoid war, mainly through strengthened deterrence. But the disturbed feeling of a pre-war period is unmistakeable.” Building facilities that could house up to six US B-52 strategic bombers should be seen in this context. The giant aircraft have exercised in Australia for years. The likelihood of their rotation through the Tindal goes back to the co-operation plan forged by the Gillard government and Barack Obama in 2011. Then, as now, US involvement in the Top End reflected its increasing commitment to the Asia-Pacific region and to Australia.

The strategic importance of the expansion, and the Albanese government’s defence strategic review being conducted by former defence minister Stephen Smith and retired air chief marshal Angus Houston, also has focused attention on Australia’s defence preparedness. As reported on Tuesday, the nation’s defence industry has made alarming claims in submissions to the review. It has condemned Defence’s military acquisition and sustainment system as unfit to respond to growing strategic threats. The system is geared for peacetime, plagued by delays and overseen by unaccountable bureaucrats, the industry has warned. If so, such problems must be addressed.

Urgent reforms are needed to ensure Defence gets the weapons and equipment it needs, the Australian Industry Group told the review. The Ai Group urged greater transparency and accountability, and better co-operation with defence sector firms. The Australian Industry & Defence Network called for the government to invest to develop and sustain a national defence industry. “To have actual sovereign capability, Australia must have onshore defence industrial capability, and the development of this capability should be guided by what the Australian Defence Force requires,” it said. The Australian obtained the submissions as Mr Smith and Sir Angus prepare to hand their interim report to Defence Minister Richard Marles. The review will develop a new plan to help prioritise investment amid increasing co-operation between Australia and the US.