{"id":65507,"date":"2023-10-06T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-06T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2023\/10\/06\/how-australias-strategic-review-is-changing-army-acquisition-plans\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T12:28:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T12:28:07","slug":"how-australias-strategic-review-is-changing-army-acquisition-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2023\/10\/06\/how-australias-strategic-review-is-changing-army-acquisition-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"How Australia\u2019s strategic review is changing Army acquisition plans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
MELBOURNE, Australia \u2014 The Australian Army will now receive less Redback infantry fighting vehicles than planned as the government redirects funding for that effort toward long-range strike systems and littoral maneuver craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government\u2019s recent Defence Strategic Review recommended the Army pivot from a \u201cbalanced\u201d structure of equally equipped combined arms brigades to a \u201cfocused\u201d force able to meet the changing threat in the Asia-Pacific region. The document places an emphasis on long-range strike and littoral maneuver capabilities while retaining the combined arms philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe current Australian Defence Force (ADF) force structure is based on a \u2018balanced\u2019 force model that reflects a bygone era. It does not adequately address our new strategic environment,\u201d the report stated. \u201cThe ADF needs a much more focused force that can respond to the risks we face. It should be informed by net assessment and able to effect a strategy of denial.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This refocus includes an enhanced long-range strike capability for multiple domains of warfare; a fully enabled and integrated amphibious combined arms land system; and a mobile, joint expeditionary theater logistics system with the ability to supply a force beyond Australia\u2019s shores for an extended period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis conceptual approach to force structure planning will lead to a force designed to address the nation\u2019s most significant military risks,\u201d the report read. \u201cThe capabilities required to address identified threats will also provide latent capability to deal with lower-level contingencies and crises.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Change of plans<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
The Defence Strategic Review specifically recommended the accelerated acquisition of additional M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems as well as local manufacturing of weapons to ensure stocks are maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the Australian Army, this has meant a significant reduction in the number of AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicles it had planned to acquire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The service originally sought 450 Redback vehicles from Hanwha Defense Australia, a local branch of the South Korean company Hanwha, under the government\u2019s multibillion-dollar Land 400 Phase 3 program, but the defense review recommended a reduction to 129 units to reflect the new force structure concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\nA Hanwha-made Redback infantry fighting vehicle is seen at a testing ground in Changwon, South Korea, on Sept. 15, 2023. (Jung Yeon-je\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles announced the accelerated purchase of HIMARS on Aug. 19, highlighting the change in focus. The country is already investing AU$1.6 billion (U.S. $1 billion) in a second tranche of HIMARS launchers and weapons, which takes the number on order to 42 units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An earlier tranche announced in January committed Australia to 20 HIMARS weapons, with deliveries beginning in the first quarter of 2025 and wrapping up by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Defence Strategic Review also axed a planned second regiment of Hanwha Defense Australia-made AS9 Huntsman 155mm self-propelled howitzers as well as AS10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles. That acquisition was part of Phase 2 of the government\u2019s Land 8116 program focused on protected mobile fires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re currently working through how we will rebalance the Army\u2019s contribution to the integrated force. That system [AS9 and AS10] will still deliver a world-class capability; there will just be less of it,\u201d said Lt. Gen. Simon Stuart, chief of the Army. \u201cI\u2019m focused on the implementation of the direction that we\u2019ve been given, and we\u2019ll continue to deliver the capability that is required by the integrated force within the resource envelope that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under Phase 1 of the Land 8116 project, the Army is still set to receive 30 AS9 howitzers and 10 AS10 ammo resupply vehicles beginning in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Land 400 Phase 3 is a multiyear program that assessed the AS21 and the Germany company Rheinmetall\u2019s KF41 Lynx, with the former declared the contract winner on July 27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will be beginning delivery of these vehicles in early 2027, with the final vehicles to be delivered in late 2028,\u201d Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said. \u201cThis is bringing it forward by a number of years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That timeline coincides with \u201cthe delivery of more landing craft and a very significant investment in long-range strike, both the HIMARS rocket system and land-based maritime strike. So that the Australian Army\u2019s longest-range weapon will go from roughly 40 kilometers to 300 kilometers, then over 500 kilometers,\u201d Conroy added. (That\u2019s about 25 miles to 186 miles, then more than 311 miles.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conroy was referring to the initial acquisition of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Army Tactical Missile Systems and, eventually, the U.S. Army\u2019s Precision Strike Missile for HIMARS. Australia jointed the U.S. Army\u2019s Precision Strike Missile development program in August 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Australian Army\u2019s longest-range weapon is the M777 towed howitzer, Gen. Angus Campbell, chief of the Defence Force, said in May during a Senate estimates hearing, during which lawmakers scrutinize how the government is spending taxpayers\u2019 money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coastal defense<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Australia is also looking to acquire a long-range maritime strike and coastal artillery system under Project Land 4100 Phase 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, Kongsberg Defence Australia and Thales Australia have partnered to offer a system based on the utility variant of the Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle, together with Kongsberg\u2019s Naval Strike Missile.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Naval Strike Missile can launch from both land- and sea-based platforms. (Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The Australian Army has fielded the Bushmaster for several years now, and the Royal Australian Navy selected the Naval Strike Missile as its deck-launched Harpoon replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kongsberg-Thales pitch, dubbed StrikeMaster, is similar to the American Navy\/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, which uses the Naval Strike Missile with an unmanned variant of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle dubbed Rogue Fires. However, the StrikeMaster will be a crewed system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kongsberg is a Norwegian company, and Thales is based in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For its part, the American firm Lockheed Martin is proposing a variant of the M142 HIMARS launcher, integrated with a ground-launched version of the AGM-158C long-range, anti-ship missile. The Australian Army already purchased the former, and the Royal Australian Air Force has ordered the air-launched version of the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Domestic focus<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
However, underpinning these long-range strike enhancements is a requirement to establish a sovereign supply of weapons \u2014 an acknowledgment that global supply chains are inevitably disrupted during a conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, the government has committed AU$2.5 billion over the course of four years for the Defence Department\u2019s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise, or GWEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of having not just war stocks, but a domestic missile manufacturing industry,\u201d Marles said April 30<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GWEO will initially focus on the domestic manufacture of 155mm ammunition, but is also looking to manufacture guided missiles in Australia under the Guided Weapons Production Capability plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAustralian soldiers fire a round from a 155mm howitzer during a live-fire demonstration showcasing the service’s joint combined-arms capabilities in 2019. (William West\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the Senate estimate hearing in May, the head of GWEO, Air Marshal Leon Phillips, said an Australian team recently visited the United States to meet with missile manufacturers and federal lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGMLRS [the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System] is a credible option that we are looking to accelerate, and I expect we\u2019ll return to [the Australian] government before quarter two of 2024 with options to make a start on that, to meet what we believe is a credible timeline for a level of missile production in this country in 2025,\u201d Phillips said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked by senators if plans were set for eventually manufacturing the U.S. Army\u2019s Precision Strike Missile, Phillips replied: \u201cNot at this stage. I think GMLRS is a logical start point, and then we might work our way up in terms of our industrial base, our certification, our competencies, and our releasability and ITAR issues with the U.S. government.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ITAR, or International Traffic in Arms Regulations, is a U.S. government regime that controls the export of defense equipment and other sensitive technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Landing craft<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
The Defence Strategic Review also recommends the government accelerate its multiphase landing craft program Land 8710.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phase 1 of the program is in an open-tender stage, which should lead to the purchase of medium littoral maneuver vessels to replace the Army\u2019s LCM-8 landing craft, as well as the acquisition of an amphibious vehicle to replace the Vietnam-era LARC vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phase 2 is for the acquisition of heavy landing craft to replace the Balikpapan-class vessels retired more than a decade ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phase 3 will seek a fast assault craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are investing in the capabilities our Defence Force needs to hold our adversaries at risk further from our shores, and keep Australians safe in the complex and uncertain world in which we live today,\u201d Marles said Aug. 21.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The service’s refocus includes an enhanced long-range strike capability and a mobile, joint expeditionary theater logistics system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":117965,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":14,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[45,160,11,14,36],"tags":[8604],"coauthors":[3417],"class_list":["post-65507","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific","category-daily-news-roundup","category-global","category-land","category-newsletters","tag-australia"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"BTAV3ODPHNHIHIRRK3K774N3TY","arc_canonical_url":"\/land\/2023\/10\/06\/how-australias-strategic-review-is-changing-army-acquisition-plans\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n
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