Military is happy to buy arms off Israel, says Chief of Army

Israel’s top arms companies have defied protesters and rising international criticism over the war in Gaza to spruik cutting-edge capabilities at the Land Forces expo in Melbourne.

Israeli company Rafael’s advanced SPYDER air defence system.

Israel’s top arms companies have defied protesters and rising international criticism over the war in Gaza to spruik cutting-edge capabilities at the Land Forces expo in Melbourne, as Australia’s Chief of Army declared he had no problem buying weapons from the Jewish state.

As pro-Palestine protests turned violent outside the biennial weapons fair, Israel’s biggest weapons manufacturer IAI said it was ready to provide the ADF with “whatever they need” at a “competitive price” to deal with advanced threats.

Another Israeli company, ­Rafael, said its air defence systems offered “amazing interception rates”, pointing to the country’s almost complete success in taking out more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles in April.

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart said he saw no obstacle to the service purchasing more Israeli equipment if it could protect Australian personnel.

“We’ve certainly purchased a range of (Israeli) equipment over the years,” he told The Australian.

“What we want to do is ensure we’ve got the best possible equipment we can possibly get our hands on to ensure that our people have the best chance of fulfilling their mission … and coming home to their families.”

The West’s biggest weapons companies, including the US’s Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman, and Britain’s BAE Systems, are among hundreds of exhibitors at the three-day Land Forces expo.

BAE used the event to unveil its newest unmanned system, an eight-wheeled armoured drone with a 25mm canon that automatically finds and tracks its targets, but requires a human to pull the trigger.

BAE Systems Australia managing director Andrew Gresham said the Autonomous Tactical Light Armour System (ATLAS), which is yet to go into commercial production, would give soldiers an “unfair advantage” on the battlefield.

An M1A2 Abrams main battle tank is displayed at the Land Forces 2024 arms fair in Melbourne. Picture: AFP

“It will help the soldier outpace, out-manoeuvre and out-think conventional and unconventional threats,” he said.

Amid criticism of the Australian government’s slowness in procuring killer drones, General Stuart declared: “We’ve got to be conscious about our resources, and you’ve got to pick the point at which you invest.

“As Chief of Army, I would always like more (uncrewed systems). There’s no doubt about that,” he said.

But the development of uncrewed weapons was a case of “evolution” rather than revolution, General Stuart said, adding that he was confident Australian industry and key international suppliers could rapidly deliver new capabilities when they were required.

IAI Australia managing director Yonatan Segev said the company’s lethal drones and air defence systems were among the world’s best, and offered good value for money for the ADF when compared to US-made equipment.

“We are able to provide a means to deal with advanced threats,” he said. “IAI is in the forefront of technology, both in air defence and strike systems, and we are closely following the trends and the technology development in those areas.”

Rafael Australia managing director Golan Ben-Giat said the company’s missile interception systems were “the most accurate, precise weapons in the world”, and “more affordable than any other competitors in the market”.

“Our concept is not to have any holes in the air defence area,” he said. “We can’t allow any missiles to get through and penetrate into the ground. So our aim is to intercept 100 per cent.”

The Australian Army is already equipped with Rafael’s Spike anti-tank missiles, while Israeli company Elbit’s sensors will be incorporated into the service’s new Korean-designed infantry fighting vehicles.

However, the Albanese government has been at pains to emphasise since the start of the Gaza war no Australian-made weapons are being exported to Israel.

Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said the ADF would not get the new capabilities it needed without a major budget boost from the government.