More combat aircraft to the Australian defense fleet would be added as part of a multimillion -dollar impulse to the defense under a coalition government.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said the coalition would spend $ 3 billion to restore a fourth squad of F-35a combat aircraft to the Air Force, if he won the next elections.
The additional squad would see 28 aircraft added to Australia’s combat planes, which would reinforce the fleet of 72 to 100.
Dutton said the negotiations would take place as soon as possible so that the defense force obtains combat jets, hoping that it would be delivered in the next five years.
“Only the coalition is committed to supporting the defense by increasing the current defense budget and providing our ADF with the capacities they need,” he said.
It is expected that the $ 3 billion will be allocated to ensure the fourth squad, but the costs of combat aircraft would be negotiated.
The spokesman for the defense of the opposition, Andrew Hastie, said that the financing would be part of the capacity of the reconstruction defense force.
“Our defense force has been taken to the ground. Morality is at its lowest point. We have a recruitment crisis, we have a retention, we have a preparation crisis,” said Sky News on Sunday.
“We want a strong country, and given the dangerous strategic circumstances of today, we are investing in it so that we can assure the Australian people and our interests.”
Hastie said that the Aukus security pact, which will allow Australia to obtain nuclear submarines, was the reason for the defense to prioritize more expenses.
Australia will spend $ 368 billion to obtain submarines.
“The ADF is forced to cannibalize. Aukus is a massive and multigenerational effort. It is an effort to build the nation. It will be expensive,” said Hastie.
“If we do not count the cost, the structural pressure that will put in our defense budget, … other capabilities will be cannibalized.”
The federal government said that defense expense would reach 2.4 percent of GDP by 2033/34.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said there were questions about how the opposition was intended to pay for his defense commitment.
“(Combat aircraft) are a very important kit, but we don’t know where (Dutton) will find these $ 3 billion, and should tell us all about that,” he told Sky News.
“This is the same type that has not registered in the $ 50 billion in additional investment that we have found in a responsible budget to invest in our capacity in defense.”
