Long Range Missiles – Are They Worth it?
Last Week, the Australian Defence Minister, Robert Hill, announced the Australian government is going to spend between 350 – 450 million dollars on new Long Range Stealth Missiles, which will be capable of destroying targets up to 400 kilometres away. While the missiles will significantly improve the Australian Defence Force’s air strike capability, one of the most important benefits will be for the air crews, who will be able to dispatch missiles further away from targets, therefore reducing their own level of risk. While the Labor party supports the expenditure, opposition defence minister Kim Beazley has raised concerns about how this acquisition will affect diplomatic relations in the region. In particular, diplomatic relations with Indonesia, whose chief foreign affairs spokesman said they would have liked greater consultation on the issue. Dr. John Bruni, is a lecturer in Strategic Studies in the Centre for Asian Studies at the University of Adelaide, he explained the Australian Government’s motivations for acquiring such long range missiles.