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☆ Australia Says AUKUS a Response to Arms Race, Not Fuel for It
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Indo Pacific region is in the midst of a substantial arms race that Australia is responding to, not fuelling, with its planned acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said on Tuesday. The $245 billion AUKUS project with Britain and the United States to build a new class of nuclear-powered and conventionally armed submarine has been criticised by China as having the potential to spark an arms race. "The arms race is the greatest its been since 1945, and that is why I reject assertions... that Australia is somehow fuelling that arms race. "Conflict is far from inevitable," he said, adding that Australia cannot afford to under-invest in defence. Australia's nuclear-powered submarine fleet will be used for intelligence gathering in peacetime and to strike enemy targets during a war, Conroy said.

Persons: Defence Industry Pat Conroy, Conroy, AUKUS, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Defence Industry, National Press Club Locations: Australia, Britain, United States, China, Canberra, Southeast Asia, Philippines, South, Darwin

☆ Australia boosts maritime surveillance with drones, aircraft upgrades
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft takes off from Perth International Airport, April 16, 2014. REUTERS/Greg Wood/Pool/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Australia will spend A$1.5 billion ($966 million) to boost maritime surveillance of its northern approaches, buying more long range drone aircraft and upgrading Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The fleet of 14 Boeing (BA.N) P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol aircraft will have anti-submarine warfare, maritime strike and intelligence collection capabilities upgraded, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said in a statement on Tuesday. The Triton will provide long-range surveillance of Australia's maritime region, the statement said. Conroy said the Poseidon aircraft upgrades will strengthen the protection of Australian "maritime interests".

Persons: Greg Wood, Defence Industry Pat Conroy, , Conroy, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: U.S . Navy, Perth International Airport, REUTERS, Rights, Boeing, Poseidon Maritime Patrol, Defence Industry, Northrop Grumman, Triton, United States Navy, Defence, U.S, Australian Poseidon, United Nations Security, Thomson Locations: Australia, Australia's Northern Territory, Asia, South Australia, United States, Pacific, China, Australian, South China, North Korea

☆ China leads tech race, highlighting need for AUKUS sharing, says think-tank
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. leads quantum computing - the next generation of computers expected to solve once unsolvable problems and enable faster communication. Quantum sensors could be used in threat detection for defence, ASPI said. The combined strength of AUKUS nations made them competitive with China in half of the technologies, it said. The transfer of nuclear-powered submarine technology -- an area where the U.S. holds a capability edge over China -- to Australia is the highest-profile AUKUS project. The legislative proposals are "necessary steps for the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines program," Conroy said in a statement.

Persons: Read, ASPI, for Defence Industry Pat Conroy, Conroy, Joe Biden, Kirsty Needham, William Maclean Organizations: National Congress, Communist Party of, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, China, for Defence Industry, U.S . Congress, U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: Communist Party of China, SYDNEY, China, Australia, Britain, U.S, Beijing, Russia, Germany, Baltic, The U.S, Moscow, . Virginia, Virginia, Sydney

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