Australia is doubling the size of its naval fleet under a 10-year, $7-billion expansion plan bared on Tuesday.

From 11 warships, the Australian navy envisions 26 major surface combatant ships, including six state-of-the-art uncrewed ones.

“It is the largest fleet that we will have since the end of the Second World War,” Defense Minister Richard Marles said.

Also to be added are six Hunter class frigates, 11 general-purpose frigates, three air warfare destroyers in a bid to catch up on military expansions of China and Russia.

Those are on top of at least three United States-designed nuclear-powered submarines announced in 2021.

At least some of the fleet will be armed with Tomahawk missiles capable of long-range strikes on targets deep inside enemy territory — a major deterrent capability.

The plan would see Australia increase its defense spending to 2.4 percent of gross domestic product, above the two percent target set by its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

Some of the ships will be built in Adelaide, ensuring more than 3,000 jobs, but others will be sourced from US designs and a still undecided design to come from Spain, Germany, South Korea or Japan.

The country’s major defense projects have long been beset by cost overruns, government U-turns, policy changes and project plans that make more sense for local job creation than defense.

Michael Shoebridge, a former senior security official and now independent analyst, said the government must overcome past errors and had “no more time to waste” as competition in the region heats up.

WITH AFP