Defence plan for $1bn sky robots
By Brendan Nicholson
Canberra
February 5, 2004
The Australian Defence Force will spend up to $1 billion on a fleet
of high-performance robot planes to patrol the skies over and
around Australia.
Releasing the Government's $50 billion defence capability plan
yesterday, Defence Minister Robert Hill said the so-called
"unmanned aerial vehicle" would also revolutionise the gathering of
intelligence for Australian troops deployed on foreign
battlefields.
Two versions of these robot planes are being considered, but the
Global Hawk, a sophisticated aircraft that can photograph crewmen
on a warship from 50 kilometres away, is the leading
contender.
The $1 billion allocated in the defence plan will cover a squadron
of about 12 aircraft. The high-tech leap to unmanned technology was
the surprise of the defence capability plan.
The Government had planned to spend only $150 million on the
multi-mission aircraft, but they have proved so successful in tests
and in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq that their planned role
has expanded dramatically.
Senator Hill said the Global Hawk could be involved in operations
ranging from defensive patrols far from Australia's coastline to
searches for people smugglers and bushfire patrols.
In 2001, a Global Hawk flew non-stop from California to Australia.
With a 35-metre wingspan, it is bigger than a Boeing 737. It can
fly at around 60,000 feet for more than 36 hours and can search a
far greater area of land or ocean than the RAAF's P-3 Orion patrol
planes.
The latest defence plan details $50 billion of spending to
modernise the armed forces over the next 10 years with new ships,
aircraft, fighting vehicles and communications and surveillance
technology.
"When we send our forces on often dangerous operations Australians
have the right to expect that they are properly equipped and
prepared - with the right capabilities to get the job done safely,"
Senator Hill said. "We owe our troops nothing less."
The plan includes the $15.5 billion cost of the new Joint Strike
Fighter to replace the ageing F-111 bombers and F/A-18 fighter
bombers but does not include any money to help cover the
multibillion-dollar cost of the US anti-ballistic missile shield
that has been dubbed "Son of Star Wars". But Senator Hill said
Australia remained committed to joining the project and Australia
was still negotiating an agreement with the US on the extent of
that involvement.
Senator Hill said the three air warfare destroyers to be built in
Australia at a cost of more than $6 billion could play a
significant role in the missile defence system.
The plan includes up to $600 million for a force of new tanks for
the army and Senator Hill said a decision would be made soon on
which of three contenders would be bought. They are the American
Abrams, the German Leopard 2 and the British Challenger 2.
Defence Force chief General Peter Cosgrove welcomed the spending
commitments.
"This is all about our sons and daughters who are at present in
short pants and who will one day maybe put on their country's
uniform," he said.
He said the unmanned aerial vehicle was a good choice. "We are
presently very interested to know what's happening in our economic
zones, in our territorial waters, in the general maritime
approaches to Australia."
Opposition defence spokesman Chris Evans said the plan confirmed a
major cost blow-out.
Program director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute Aldo
Borgu said some of the projects had doubled in cost since original
commitments were made and many were late.
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/04/1075853937666.html
