Canberra: Australia announced its intention to buy 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US on Friday, following the US State Department's approval of the sale.
The deal came just days after Australia announced it would upgrade its fleet by purchasing nuclear-powered attack submarines from the US to counter growing concerns about China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to Australian officials, the new nuclear-powered submarines will be able to launch Tomahawk missiles. In an effort to deter China, Japan last month also revealed plans to upgrade its armed forces, including the purchase of 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles for use as early as 2026.
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The sale of the Australian missiles is worth about $900 million. Arizona-based Raytheon Missiles and Defense will serve as the prime contractor.
The national security and foreign policy goals of the United States will be supported by this proposed sale, according to a statement from the State Department.
According to the speaker, Australia is one of our key allies in the Western Pacific. According to Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, Australia will cooperate closely with the US.
For the country, Marles told Channel Nine, having long-range missiles is a really important capability. We are ultimately able to keep Australia safe because it allows us to reach beyond our borders.
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According to Defense Industries Minister Pat Conroy, the missiles could be fired from Virginia-class submarines, which Australia will buy as part of the so-called AUKUS deal.
"We certainly want the best possible capability for the Australian Defense Force, including the ability to attack adversaries as far as possible from the Australian mainland," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. missiles and the cruise missiles themselves."
Concerns have been raised about the submarine deal's potential to make nuclear regulation easier for future criminals. This week, Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, vowed to oversee the planned transfer from the US to Australia with "very demanding" standards.
This week, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating launched a scathing attack on his country's plans, claiming that because of the high cost, "this must be the worst deal in all history.
According to Australian officials, the cost of the submarines is expected to be between 268 billion to 368 billion Australian dollars ($178–$245 billion) over the course of three decades. According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the government was open about the cost.
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What needs to be assessed is whether the purchase and subsequent construction of our own nuclear-powered submarines will increase our defense capability by more than 10%. Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, "You can bet it does. Because of that, it offers good value.