Kuala Lumpur: As Malaysian Defence had pointed out in an earlier post, the Aussies had just come out with the Defence White Paper, entitled “Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030”,
The document, among others includes a commitment to increase defence expenditures in real terms by 3% yearly from its current level of A$22.7 billion through 2017-18, and then by 2.2% yearly until 2030.
The document detailed the Australian government’s plans for the future development of Force 2030, including the major capability investments that will need to be made in the coming years.
The amount of financial commitments is quite impressive despite the current a global recession. With the funding the Australian government believes that its defence will be able to meet its primary obligations to deter and defeat attacks on the country and has sufficient capacity to contribute in military contingencies in support of global security.
Listed below are the brief summary of the main developments for the Services as announced with the White Paper.
Royal Australian Navy
The Navy force structure will include new major destroyers and frigates, submarines, amphibious ships, offshore combat vessels, naval combat helicopters and other advanced enabling capabilities over the next 20 years.
The current six Collins Class submarines will be replaced by a fleet of 12 new subs. The three new Air Warfare Destroyers will receive an enhanced weapons systems, and the acquisition of a fourth AWD vessel is under consideration. The current ANZAC Class frigates will be replaced by eight larger vessels which will focus on Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). Beyond that, the Navy will further continue the acquisition of two new Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships as well as the purchasing of a new Strategic Sealift vessel, a logistic support ship, 24 new naval combat helicopters, six new MRH-90 helicopters, 20 new Offshore Combatant Vessels and six new ocean-going heavy landing craft.
Australian Army
The 2009 Defence White Paper will deliver an Army for the 21st century equipped with the world class technology that it needs. Therefore, a new Combat Vehicle System will provide some 1,100 vehicles with greatly improved firepower, protection and mobility. The Army will also receive seven new CH-47F Chinook helicopters as well as new artillery, new mortars and a new direct fire anti-armour weapon.
Royal Australian Air Force
The Air Force will receive some 100 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, six new Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft, five KC-30A Multi-Role air-to-air refuelling aircraft, eight new Maritime Patrol Aircraft, seven new high-altitude, long-endurance Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), as well as command, control and surveillance capabilities. All offering air superiority, maritime strike, long-range strategic strike, offensive air support and close air support capability options.
It is this kind of document that Malaysian Defence hoped that Jalan Padang Tembak and its new minister will be able to deliver to the public, to explain the rationale behind our defence spending. Alas the former minister had already stated that the ministry will not produce a similar document. The new minister, after the 600K TA story, had according to colleagues had refused to be drawn into policy matters saying that he would defer such matters to the Dear PM. Another dead end there.
Malaysian Defence is not suggesting that the country fork out the same amount of money that the Oz is planning to spent on defence far from it. But a good well thought-out document would be good step in the right direction. The money, as I had mentioned before, an RM5 billion allocation for the next five years, would be good enough, during this trying time.
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (10)
Way to go to our FPDA ally! Singapore, another of our FPDA ally, is also not cutting its defence spending.
So what bloody use is he as a Minister? Gaji buta ni. Now PM has to jaga kementah as well as everything ese.... better to fire this **** and appoint the kementah camp cat for one kembung a day. Like this the Minister has already failed in Key Performance Index of leadership and policy setting.
Send him back to the back benches and appoint Rembau!
Adoiiiii
MMEA has received 3 Obzerv ARGC-2400 long range cameras and 3 VHF/UHF Radio Direction Finders, funded by Japan. Jap government also delivering 10 speed boats and 14 thermals to the Customs and 4 RHIB and 40 night vision googles to the Marine Police. At this rate, the Customs and Marine Police will have a better night vision capability than the MAF. Was speaking to an old army friend last week, it seems his whole battalion has to share 10 night vision googles. A number of MMEA vessels will also be fitted with SAGEM VIGY 10 M3 electo-optics.
Marhalim: I was told a matter of factly that soldiers do not NVGs while moving as the movement will blur the vision......
I on the other hand, personally belief that we should concentrate more on our air superiority as major defence deterrent for 2010 onwards. A decent fighter plane would cost around USD50 to USD80 million compared to a Missile frigate USD150 million above. A multirole fighter jets can cover hotspots be it in land or sea within minutes.
I would dream the day that our airforce will consist of the following:-
36 SU 30 MKM
24 Rafale
16 EC725
6 MPA
6 AEWACS
6 batallion S400
But that is just me simplistic thinking. Plus i am bias, i never liked american stuff
Marhalim: Its ok to dream but consider where are we going to find the money. And if we had, it will probably go to the 600K TA project....
Kamal.... that is about the :) idea I have come across since the 600KTA plan. When are we EVER going to have a need to actually use anything other than the choppers and maybe the MPAs? Oh, maybe you believe in Anschluss with Singapore? And the tooth fairy too right? What is it with the inferiority complexes and delusional fantasies of parity with someone spending ooo...many times our budget more efficiently?
The RMAF is looping Top Gun and stuck in the past. They need to focus on hauling trash, hauling operators and operating UAVs. Think of fast jets as a job perk rather than a raison d'etre.
The real tragedy is that most of Kementah shares you viewpoint and thus we have minimal deployability and operational readiness accross a wide swathe of the armed forces.
Which is why RifleRange, the camp cat should be in charge.
Marhalim...I can't believe **** was considered that offensive.
Marhalim: LOL, too some it might be too much, too some it might be too soft, so I went for the middle road.....
hahahhaha, cant help but dream, but yes i do have an inferiority complex against the singaporean. As long as they still pointing those missiles to Semenanjung and the pre emptive strike mentatlity, will still have my inferiority complex . Agreed TUDM is still hauling in the past, so does the case with other countries in the world that still stuck with bunch of fast jets, 100% UCAV will only be something post 2050. Y? F35 is expected to last 30 to 40 years...hanks
oh yes, i am an avid believer of tooth fairy
Australia apparently believe that they are going to be in anschluss( mister.t ?) with whoever the enemy is at that little corner of the world, but then that's what have been puzzling me all this time. Japan tried messing around in WWII but I considered that was a decision made with too much sake in the mix.
Who's going to mess with Australia anyways to justify such spending? Indons?.. pfftt!! Or is it just the white men's paranoia shared across the hemisphere?
I read yesterday in UTUSAN, Zahid Hamidi saying that the MIG 29 will not be retired. This could either mean:-
a) He is just shooting his mouth and dont know what he is talking about,
2) The MIGs will actually continue for a number of years to come, with or with out upgrades
3) The additional MRCA will not follow thru at least for RMK9
I am rooting for option no 2 with planned upgrades. I believe the MIGs needs major upgrades to make it on par with the SU 30.
Marhalim: My take on this, they need something to happen during LIMA09! The maintenance contract for the MIG29 is up for renewal....the current one ends this year!
Honestly, although we need more AC on service, we simply cannot afford so many AC types, if I had my say I would retire either the 29 or the old Machis by the end of the year....