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