Antinuclear

Nauseating subservience of Australia’s media and politics to American militarism.

‘Hugely significant’: Australia to manufacture and export missiles to US, Sydney Morning Herald, By Matthew Knott, July 28, 2023 

Australia is set to begin manufacturing its own missiles within two years under an ambitious plan that will allow the country to supply guided weapons to the United States and possibly export them to other nations.

( USA sees Australia has seemingly “deep pockets” to do the hard lifting so USA could probably on sell these missiles at a profit or just use Australia as a little America – with the ever present threat of being a security target )

The push to accelerate the creation of a local missile manufacturing industry in co-operation with the US will be one of the centrepiece announcements at the Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations on Saturday.

Both US and Australian officials are seeking to play down concerns the AUKUS pact could be derailed by division in the US Congress after 23 Senate Republicans warned they would not support the proposal to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia unless the US Navy doubled its own production capacity.

The joint missile manufacturing effort is being driven by the war in Ukraine, which has highlighted a troubling lack of ammunition stocks in Western nations including the US.

“This is really important for the industrial base of both of our countries,” Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Friday after meeting with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Brisbane.

“It is hugely significant in terms of developing Australia’s defence industry. It will be very important in ensuring Australia has the necessary war stocks in the future.”

Marles said the announcement would significantly bring forward the planned opening of local missile factories, which had been expected to take several years to get off the ground.

As well as creating local jobs, a domestic missile manufacturing industry will make Australia less reliant on imports and provide a trusted additional source of munitions for the US.

US defence contracting giants Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have been selected by the government as preferred partners for its guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise, which was identified as a priority by the recent defence strategic review.

The US and Australia will also announce plans to upgrade air bases in northern Australia so they can be used for training exercises by both Australian and American troops.

(Hands up those people who see the establishment of missile manufacturing in Australia as one – a Red Flag for Warmongering in our Region sending the wrong message in our neck of the woods….and two – a big fat bullseye security target on our back!)

…………………………………………………………….. While noting that AUKUS enjoyed strong in-principle bipartisan support, the USA senators said: “Under the current AUKUS plan to transfer US Virginia-class submarines to a partner nation before meeting the Navy’s own requirements, the number of available nuclear submarines in the US submarine fleet would be lowered further.

“This is a risk we cannot take.”

Describing the congressional negotiations as “colour and movement”, Marles said: “We’re not worried about that … I’m confident about the progress of Australia acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine capability. We are encouraged by the progress of legislation through Congress.”

US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy insisted that the submarine plan was “not at risk at all” and dismissed suggestions negotiations had stalled…………..

Speaking before a meeting with Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “We have no greater friend, no greater partner, no greater ally than Australia. And I don’t think that alliance or partnership has ever been stronger, at least in my experience.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “very confident” Australia would secure at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US……………..

Ashley Townshend, a senior fellow for Indo-Pacific security at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said it would take several billion dollars in extra investment from the US government to meet the Republican senators’ demand to increase submarine production from 1.2 to 2.5 vessels a year.

The AUKUS legislation was still likely to pass through Congress this year, but the process would be “messy”, he said…………  https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hugely-significant-australia-to-manufacture-and-export-missiles-to-us-20230728-p5ds5e.html?fbclid=IwAR0Soi1XPWSzh-QIMTYtQealoEDp7Zrp67jOpW1p_6-1Ms24HBwRn9G8Ed4

July 29, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized