A substantial allocation of billions in funding is set to be directed toward drone technology and counter-drone initiatives over the next decade, as recognized by the federal government. Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have underscored the growing significance of drones in modern warfare.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, Defence Minister Richard Marles is scheduled to unveil the updated National Defence Strategy alongside the Integrated Investment Program (IIP). This new strategy will see a minimum of $2 billion in additional or reallocated funds aimed at enhancing drone capabilities, bringing the overall investment in drone technology over the next ten years to at least $12 billion.<\/p>\n
The specifics regarding which Defence projects will be altered to accommodate this increased funding remain unclear. The upcoming IIP will also focus on the acquisition of large uncrewed systems and the development of smaller, cost-effective drones, with at least $2.2 billion earmarked for the latter.<\/p>\n
Moreover, existing efforts concerning counter-drone technologies will be expanded, prompted by recent events that demonstrated how inexpensive, mass-produced drones can deplete resources allocated for expensive interceptors. Mr. Marles emphasized that the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran have revealed the necessity for a heightened emphasis on drone technology.<\/p>\n
“In the past two years, international conflicts have illustrated the critical role that drones and uncrewed systems play in our defense capabilities,” Mr. Marles stated. “The ongoing war in Ukraine, along with tensions in the Middle East, highlight the swift advancements in drone technologies and their potential to provide significant advantages over larger, pricier military assets.”<\/p>\n
Drone warfare has emerged as a prominent element in the Ukrainian conflict and the US-Iran tensions. Iran’s deployment of cost-effective, mass-produced drones targeting nations like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar has drawn particular attention. Thousands of long-range Shahed drones launched from Iran have necessitated costly missile interceptions by the US and UAE.<\/p>\n
Defence analysts have called for intensified efforts to safeguard sensitive military installations in Australia from drone threats. Concurrently, the government is working on building local expertise in larger drones such as the Ghost Shark and Ghost Bat, with an eye towards potential export markets.<\/p>\n
The Ghost Bat, developed by Boeing Australia, is engineered to operate in conjunction with crewed aircraft like the F-35 fighter jet and successfully engaged an aerial target during testing late last year. The German government has shown considerable interest in acquiring the Ghost Bat for its military forces.<\/p>\n
Mr. Marles noted that drones like the Ghost Bat and Ghost Shark have become integral components of Australia’s defense sector. “Enhancing our inventory of autonomous and uncrewed systems across various domains will not only strengthen the Australian Defence Force (ADF) but also invigorate the nation’s defense industry, creating local employment opportunities and fostering Australian innovation,” he remarked.<\/p>\n
“Australia is at the forefront of developing technologies such as the Ghost Bat and Ghost Shark, which are designed and manufactured domestically by Australian workers for the ADF. Developing sovereign uncrewed capabilities is essential for safeguarding the ADF and critical infrastructure, a key aspect highlighted in the National Defence Strategy.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A substantial allocation of billions in funding is set to be directed toward drone technology and counter-drone initiatives over the next decade, as recognized by the federal government. Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have underscored the growing significance of drones in modern warfare. On Thursday, Defence Minister Richard Marles is scheduled to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8795,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[43,836,1783,2037,531],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia","category-au-defence-and-national-security","category-au-defence-industry","category-au-drones","category-au-government-and-politics"],"yoast_head":"\n