Dotted across Northern Australia are a series of bases, some rarely used and a long way from anywhere. In a future conflict they could well be Australia’s front line.
RAAF Learmonth and RAAF Curtin, in Western Australia, and RAAF Scherger on Cape York, are all what are termed bare bases, featuring basic airfield infrastructure but no permanent personnel other than caretakers. These can be activated relatively quickly by fly-in RAAF units.
There’s more. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean have long been pitched as a significant outpost, but with an airfield needing remediation.
The other main bases are well-established. Darwin features a military and civil airport, Robertson Barracks, home to the 1st Brigade, and a harbour with port facility run by a Chinese company.
RAAF Tindal outside Katherine is home to 75 Squadron and its F-35A aircraft.
Townsville is home to the Army’s 1st and 11th Brigades. The DSR has big plans for these bases which it says are integral to the sovereign Australia posture, but recommendations for improvements from reviews a decade ago have mostly not been implemented.
“Irrespective of the history it’s now imperative that our network of northern bases is urgently and comprehensively remediated. The priority for this network is the series of critical air bases,” the DSR says.
Some work is on the way. Curtin is slated for a $244 million upgrade starting next year.
However, the DSR lists works which once may not have seemed necessary – hardening facilities and improving runways, fuel and munitions storage.
One big issue is fuel which isn’t just a defence problem – all Australia is reliant on imports, with limited domestic reserves. None of the bare bases are easily resupplied with fuel.
The DSR appears to be taking a big picture approach. It says Defence must understand the civil fuel industry and its capabilities. The civil industry must understand what Defence needs.
The government has agreed in-principle to the DSR recommendation for formation of a whole-of-government fuel council “to deliver resilient national fuel, supply distribution and storage.”