Wow! Australia is going to make a big fuss this time! According to the British newspaper The Times**, Australia plans to invest 11 billion Australian dollars (about 7.2 billion US dollars) to more than double the size of its navy, which is the largest expansion since World War II.
According to the source, this expansion plan will include 11 brand new frigates and 6 large warships equipped with long-range attack missiles, with the overall goal of increasing the number of the Australian Navy's main battle surface fleet from the current 11 to 26! What a game-change!
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the massive expansion after a review reduced the number of Hunt-class frigates being built by the British company Baye Systems, but Australia was clearly unwilling to compromise on that. Now they are even more ready to install the Tomahawk cruise missile system on the remaining "Hunter" class frigates to enhance their firepower, which is like adding fire to the sea!
At the heart of this expansion is the acquisition of a new fleet of 11 general-purpose frigates, which will be built overseas and locally, to replace Australia's aging Anzac-class frigates, while the first three of the new frigates are expected to enter service by 2030, which is simply faster than lightning!
What's even more remarkable is that Australia also plans to purchase six large optional manned surface ships from the United States, each of which can carry 32 long-range missiles! These ships can not only sail unmanned or manned, but can also be remotely controlled by support ships, which is really unprecedented advanced equipment!
Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, chief of staff of the Australian Navy, called the expansion "a shot in the arm" and "the most significant investment in the surface combat fleet" in the history of the Royal Australian Navy. And Australian Defense Minister Marles even said that this is necessary, given that the strategic environment facing Australia is becoming more and more complex!
However, Australia's defense plan is not all smooth sailing, for a long time, Australia's defense construction has been plagued by cost overruns, ** policy changes and other factors, but now, they seem to have made up their minds to do a big job in naval strength, which is a groundbreaking move!
It seems that in the future, the Australian Navy will radiate more powerful combat effectiveness and become a force to be reckoned with in the Asia-Pacific region! Let's wait and see what this fleet will look like!