For the last five years, Australia has been talking about acquiring additional guided weapons, either through domestic manufacture or overseas purchase, though not a lot has actually happened.
But in the last week there have been some significant movements which emerged from a meeting of the National Security Committee of Cabinet.
The government officially announced that Australia will acquire Tomahawk missiles, though that was actually foreshadowed two years ago.
Similarly, the government officially announced acquisition of “more than 60” Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER) missiles from the US for $431 million.
The US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval in February said Australia wanted up to 63 AARGM-ER missiles, plus test and training equipment for US$503 million.
These will be carried by RAAF Growler and Super Hornet and eventually F-35A aircraft.
Tomahawk has been a long time arriving. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the body which administers FMS announced in March that Australia wanted to buy Tomahawk missiles.
Specifically, Australia wanted up to 200 Block V RGM-109E Tomahawks and up to 20 Tomahawk Block IV RGM-109E Tomahawks. Block IV Tomahawk is for land attack and Block V is an anti-ship missile.
In the announcement this week, Defence Minister Richard Marles said the government had decided to purchase more than 200 Tomahawks to equip the navy’s three Hobart-class DDGs. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said up to 220 missiles.
That’s consistent with the earlier US announcement, with a cost around $1.3 billion.
Each has a range in excess of 1,500 kilometres, making them far and away the longest-range missiles in the ADF inventory.
They are also likely the most expensive – according to last year’s US Marine Corps budget request, around US$2 million for each Block V (A$3 million). Block IV is a bit cheaper.
Tomahawk is a mature and well-tested capability, developed in the 1970s to carry both nuclear and conventional warheads. Iraq appears to have been the recipient of most US Tomahawks, with barrages preceding ground action in 1991 and 2003.
Currently the US is the sole operator but others are interested, including Australia, Canada, Japan and the Netherlands.
Tomahawk launches from a Mk.41 Vertical Launch System so installing them aboard the Hobart-class DDGs won’t be a major issue. Targeting requires additional equipment – the FMS announcement lists the Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) and the Theater Mission Planning Center (TMPC).
These very advanced missiles require significant support.
Again, the FMS announcement contains a long list including “unscheduled missile maintenance, spares, procurement, training, in-service support, software, hardware, communication equipment, operational flight test, engineering and technical expertise to maintain the TWS (Tomahawk Weapon System) capability.”
There’s more.
Marles also said that Army Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles would be armed with Spike Long-Range 2 anti-tank guided missiles, providing a capability to engage enemy armour at a range of more than five kilometres.
“Under a contract worth more than $50 million, Varley Rafael Australia (VRA) is expected to deliver the first Spike missile early next year,” he said.
Spike LR2, made by Israel’s Rafael, was actually announced as the preferred missile to equip Australian Boxer armoured vehicles back in 2018. Then VRA announced plans to manufacture these missiles in Australia.
So, what’s new here? Marles said the Varley Group – actually VRA - will present options to Government for domestic manufacturing.
Last October VRA contracted to deliver 18 Spikes from production in Israel for test and certification. In May, VRA contracted with the Commonwealth to develop the business case for domestic manufacture, with an option for additional Spikes.
Air Vice Marshall Gerry Van Leeuwen, acting chief of Defence’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group (GWEO) said the domestic missile manufacturing options would go back to government by the end of second quarter 2024 with plans to commence domestic manufacture by 2025.
The government has long talked of acquiring the US HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) to boost Army firepower.
HIMARS has proven exceedingly effective in Ukraine and in May last year the US DSCA announced approval of sale of 20 HIMARS launchers and 160 assorted missiles to Australia for US$385 million.
On Friday, DSCA announced a second approval, for 22 launchers and 212 assorted missiles for US$975 million.
In all now, we’re set to acquire 42 launchers and more than 300 assorted missiles, including GMLRS ER with range out to 150 kilometres, and a small number of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) with range beyond 500 kilometres.
“As well as acquiring HIMARS from the US, the Government is taking important steps towards domestic missile manufacturing, aiming to both build up Australia’s defence industry, protect our supply chains and contribute to easing global demand,” Minister Conroy told ADM.