Redeploy navy back to region, says admiral

Former admiral urges redeploying navy to Pacific to counter North Korean nuclear threat, IS and China military expansion.

HMAS Sydney last commanding officer David Murphy, right and former commanding officer James Goldrick who was in charge from 1996-98. Picture: Toby Zerna

A former Australian admiral has called for the nation’s Middle East naval operations to be ­redeployed to Southeast Asia and the western Pacific to counter the expansion of China’s military footprint, the North Korean ­nuclear threat and the spill-over of Islamic State terrorists to Indonesia and The Philippines.

Warning of fundamental changes to the balance of power in Australia’s region, retired Rear Admiral James Goldrick says it is time for a major strategic naval reposturing as Australia is no longer able to take “a free and open region for granted”.

“Our deployed forces have achieved a great deal, often in very difficult conditions, and we should continue to contribute to security in the Middle East,” Rear Admiral Goldrick writes in The Australian today.

“But maintaining one frigate on station effectively ties up nearly one-third of Australia’s surface combatant force: for each vessel on deployment, another is generally engaged in training while a third undergoes maintenance.

“In our view … the time has come to shift our main maritime effort to our area of direct ­strategic interest in the western Pacific, where we face increasing uncertainty and fundamental changes in the balance of power.”

Rear Admiral Goldrick writes that an increased Australian military presence is required in Southeast Asia and the southwest Pacific, across the spectrum of ­operations. “From working with the US and other like-­minded countries to balance China’s increasingly assertive maritime presence and contain North Korea’s aggressive nuclear weapons programs, to managing the regional spillover from the collapse of the Islamic State caliphate, emerging challenges in the western Pacific will require more substantial and sophisticated res­ponses,” he writes.

Rear Admiral Goldrick, who retired in 2012, served as the commander of the Australian Surface Task Group deployed to the Persian Gulf in 2002 and as commander of the multinational naval forces enforcing UN sanctions against Iraq.

His call for a military reposturing to the western Pacific and Southeast Asia comes as the Turnbull government confirmed it would arm the replacement fleet of frigate with Aegis missile defence systems in light of “evolving threats” in the region.

In the commentary article in The Australian today, which was co-written by Andrew Shearer, a national security adviser to the Howard and Abbott governments, Rear Admiral Goldrick ­argues that naval and military ­resources are stretched at the expense of a greater Australian presence in the Asia Pacific ­region.

“We also need to free up ­surface warships to increase our permanent presence in the ­western Pacific, which will entail curtailing and ultimately perhaps ending our longstanding Middle East maritime commitment,” Rear Admiral Goldrick and Mr Shearer write. “Our maritime ­activities should have an emphasis on the South China Sea to demonstrate Australia’s continuing interest in maintaining international freedoms of operation and ­movement.

Although Australia has been a presence in the ­Middle East since the end of World War II, the ­authors argue that our forces have been stretched by other important priorities such as the war on terror and border ­protection.

“The need has arguably never been greater to demonstrate continuing support for our regional partners and our desire for a ­secure region and a maritime ­domain open to all legitimate users,” they write. “Supporting the government’s successful border-protection ­policies further stretches our surface naval ­resources.

“At the same time, rising threats and challenges in maritime Asia and the Pacific are likely to increase the demand for other specialised capabilities such as Wedgetail aerial early warning aircraft, air-to-air refuellers, and special forces.

“As the Asia-Pacific balance of power continues to shift, Australia can no longer take a free and open region for granted.

“The US and our other regional partners will expect Australia to play its part in maintaining freedom of navigation and other key aspects of the rules-based order from which we have benefited so much for more than 70 years.”

Andrew Davies, the director of the Defence and Strategy Program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, agreed that the naval presence in the Middle East “chewed” up a lot of maritime ­resources “but successive governments have made the judgment that it is worthwhile”.

“In saying, that if things turned to poop in our part of the world … you wouldn’t want them based out there,” Dr Davies said.

Rear Admiral Goldrick and Mr Shearer acknowledge that the Turnbull government has increased ship patrols in response to recent tensions in the South China Sea and has embarked on a “greater strategic weight in the ADF’s emerging force structure — particularly a stronger maritime force”.

Four Australian frigates, an amphibious assault vessel and a support ship are currently deployed on exercises in the region as part of the Indo-Pacific ­Endeavour 2017.

“At a time when the US is facing so many pressures, such activities may be an even more welcome demonstration of both Australia’s capability and our commitment to protecting shared interests than a niche contribution,” Rear Admiral Goldrick and Mr Shearer write.

Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged the priorities for regional stability this week when he announced the US combat systems for the new frigate fleet.

“Recent events in our region have proven that Australia’s ­future frigates must be equipped to defend Australia from the threat of ¬medium and long-range missile attacks,’’ the Prime Minister said. “This technology will enable the future frigates to engage missiles at long range. I am determined to keep Australians safe. Giving our navy the best combat management technology will ensure that we can meet and overcome any threat that comes our way — in the air and at sea.”

Defence Minister Marise Payne said while Australia’s overseas commitments were under constant review as a matter of course there was a long standing strategic interest in preventing the spread of terrorism in the Middle East.

“Our current military contribution in the Middle East region...targeting terrorism, piracy and drugs smuggling, is an example of how we can address security threats to Australia by working with other like-minded partners,” she said.

“The Royal Australian Navy conducts regular international engagements in South East Asia and the Indian Ocean, including exercises, joint training programs, and interoperability exchanges.”