Kevin Rudd to announce Australia's biggest military build-up since World War II

Kevin Rudd to announce Australia's biggest military build-up since World War II

www.news.com.au

KEVIN Rudd is set to announce Australia's biggest military build-up since World War II, including 100 new F-35 fighters and powerful new surface warships.

The boost would be led by a multi-billion-dollar investment in maritime defence.

The new defence white paper will outline plans for a fundamental shake-up of Australia's defence organisation to ensure that the nation can meet what the Prime Minister sees as a far more challenging and uncertain security outlook in Asia over the next two decades.

(visit the link for the full news article)


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The white paper will be released tomorrow and it will be very interesting to see what's planned for our armed forces.

The navy it seems is the big winner, which is understandable. The most notable items are 12 new submarines to compliment the Collins Class subs and 8 new Frigates.

Interestingly, some say the naval build up is due to China's recent build up of their naval forces.

While the document does not admit this, the doubling of the navy's submarine fleet is a direct response to China's blue-water ambitions, which have seen it invest heavily in new submarines, including the building of an underground nuclear submarine base near Sanya, on Hainan Island, off China's southern coast. This naval build-up reflects Rudd's wariness about China's future strategic weight in the region. It also represents a victory for the China hawks within defence, including white paper author Mike Pezzullo, who argued that China's rise posed a potential threat to Australia's security and interests in the region.

China will be watching what comes of this white paper very closely I'm sure.





www.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

Considering Rudd just finished consulting with them on defense matters, they probably had an editorial hand in the drafting of the white paper.

Honestly, I don't get how these 'one worlders' can imagine everyone will be oblivious to their antics.

Originally posted by Maxmars
Considering Rudd just finished consulting with them on defense matters, they probably had an editorial hand in the drafting of the white paper.

Honestly, I don't get how these 'one worlders' can imagine everyone will be oblivious to their antics.

Consulting with China on defence matters?

I don't recall hearing about it, do you have a link to an article?

As for China being involved with the white paper, I doubt it very much, from the initial details it would seem a lot of spending is directed to combat China's recent naval build up, in particular their submarines.

China briefed on defence blueprint
www.abovetopsecret.com...


Perhaps I misunderstood.....

You tell me.

reply to post by Maxmars


That is a bit odd.

It does say they are briefing China, they have no say in it though.

Maybe they knew the Chinese government would get all upset with such a big spend on the navy so they decided to give them a heads up.

Cheers for the link, I'll have to look into this more.

I have heard that China is asking Australia for an explanation because in the white paper it states that China may be a future adversary.

They said, that they fell confused and want an explanation.

I reckon they are playing dumb. Australia should turn itself into an island fortress if you ask me.

The white paper is now available for download HERE.

There's quite a lot to digest but here's a bit written about China:

4.26 China will also be the strongest Asian military power, by a considerable margin. Its military modernisation will be increasingly characterised by the development of power projection capabilities. A major power of China's stature can be expected to develop a globally significant military capability befitting its size. But the pace, scope and structure of China's military modernisation have the potential to give its neighbours cause for concern if not carefully explained, and if China does not reach out to others to build confidence regarding its military plans.

4.27 China has begun to do this in recent years, but needs to do more. If it does not, there is likely to be a question in the minds of regional states about the long-term strategic purpose of its force development plans, particularly as the modernisation appears potentially to be beyond the scope of what would be required for a conflict over Taiwan.

Just reading through it at the moment, I find the following chapter interesting -

2.5 Under the Charter of the United Nations, states are required to 'refrain, in their international relations, from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state'. However, the use of force is permitted in certain circumstances - for example, where authorised by the United Nations Security Council or in self-defence. The manner in which force is employed in those circumstances is itself subject to constraints under international law.

Good to see that they still havent learnt from the mess that is the Iraqi War.....The US went into that country without UN approval and it was not in self defence....where does an action like that fit into not only the defence white paper but the UN charter in general?

will keep reading the white paper and see what else I can find of interest.

Before I go, one main feature so far that I have come across is the fact that Australia is very determined to become as self reliant on its own defence as possible by 2030, and a main factor of this is ensureing no states that could pose a threat to Australia have bases on any South Pacific islands from where they could forward project their forces....

I agree with this, that would be a major issue, our main benefit and security is the distance that we are from anyone else, forward projecting a base into the south pacific would pose a major risk to Australia.

The following exeprt from the White Paper pretty much sums up the tone of the next 20 years that the White Paper covers -

4.24 The crucial relationship in the region, but also globally, will be that between the United States and China. The management of the relationship between Washington and Beijing will be of paramount importance for strategic stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan will remain a source of potential strategic miscalculation, and all parties will need to work hard to ensure that developments in relation to Taiwan over the years ahead are peaceful ones. The Government reaffirms Australia's longstanding 'One China' policy.

4.25 China has a significant opportunity in the decades ahead to take its place as a leading stakeholder in the development and stability of the global economic and political system. In coming years, China will develop an even deeper stake in the global economic system, and other major powers will have deep stakes in China's economic success. China's political leadership is likely to continue to appreciate the need for it to make a strong contribution to strengthening the regional security environment and the global rules-based order.

4.26 China will also be the strongest Asian military power, by a considerable margin. Its military modernisation will be increasingly characterised by the development of power projection capabilities. A major power of China's stature can be expected to develop a globally significant military capability befitting its size. But the pace, scope and structure of China's military modernisation have the potential to give its neighbours cause for concern if not carefully explained, and if China does not reach out to others to build confidence regarding its military plans.

4.27 China has begun to do this in recent years, but needs to do more. If it does not, there is likely to be a question in the minds of regional states about the long-term strategic purpose of its force development plans, particularly as the modernisation appears potentially to be beyond the scope of what would be required for a conflict over Taiwan.

Theres is a very strong tone in the paper about the future relationship between China and the US, and if not handled appropriately that it may cause some grief, but to tie into that, China's recent military buildup with force projection capabilities like their goals to build aircraft carriers understandably raises concerns for all in the region.

Why would China want to build aircraft carriers unless it sees itself projecting its forces far away into other regions?

China's policy of being quiet about many things may be to their detriment.

Chinese official's only the other day were raising concerns with Australia why we are potentially seeing them as a future threat in this Defence White Paper, but it goes both ways - why wont they explain their military buildup over the last few years? what is their reason for that?