The Australian government says there are two newly newly shot anti -ship missiles from mobile launchers that are being evaluated and expected to make decisions later this year, according to Reuters.
A Himars missile launcher
Accordingly, Australian officials are considering the accurate version of the missile with expected range of up to 1,000 km and can be launched from the launcher of the high mobile artillery missile system (Himars) manufactured by Military Contractor Lockheed Martin (USA). According to the Australian Ministry of Defense, the country currently has 42 Himars launchers, of which many platforms are expected to go into operation from 2026 to 2027.
According to Reuters, the new missile is important in Canberra’s plan to deal with a more assertive military presence of China in the waters around Australia. Australian security officials predict that Chinese warships will become “guests” often off the coast of Australia in larger quantities.
On February 21, Chinese warships conducted military exercises in Tasman waters (between Australia and New Zealand), forcing some commercial flights to change the roadmap. The Australian Ministry of Defense has fiercely responded to the exercise. China said the exercise on “safety, standards and professionalism”, in accordance with international law.
The above exercises will challenge the political determination and supervision of the Australian army, according to Reuters. The Director of Australian National Intelligence Agency Andrew Shearer said on February 24, saying a number of Chinese fleet activities seemed to be “designed to provoke”, but admitted that Beijing had complied with international law.
A Chinese destroyer appeared off the coast of Australia on November 11
Ross Babbage, a former Australian defense official working at the Center for Strategic and Budget Review (USA), said that the new missile equipped more urgent in the context of increasing instability about the commitment of US President Donald Trump’s administration for traditional security relationships.
Mr. Babbage also said that if a conflict occurs in the Indo -Pacific region, it will last and Australia needs a large rocket arsenal. However, Australia currently only spends about 2% of GDP for national defense. Some critics believe that the government’s spending on the urgent Australian military programs is delayed.
Mr. Mick Ryan, former Australian army general, rating the new missile will bring strong attacks and play a deterrent to potential opponents.
When asked “how Beijing recognized the decision of Australia and other countries in the region to increase the rocket arsenal”, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was pursuing “defensive defense policies” and China should not be considered “an excuse to increase escalating” and “incite arms racing”.
