The AUKUS (Autonomy Working Group) partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States has achieved a significant milestone with the successful trial of AI-enabled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to locate, disable, and destroy ground targets. This groundbreaking exercise, which took place as part of the annual US-hosted multinational Project Convergence experimentation exercise, […]
Australia, MoD to fund Ghost Shark UUV Production
Ghost Shark is being jointly developed and funded by a partnership between Defence and Anduril Australia, and will become Mission Zero (0) for the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA).Image rendering of the Ghost Shark autonomous submarine. Photo: Australian Department of Defence Canberra and Anduril Industries have signed an agreement to expedite the Royal Australian Navy’s […]
Oceania; British UAV sold in Australia and New Zealand.
Evolve Dynamics, a British manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has successfully secured a defense order for its SKY MANTIS 2 aircraft and accessories package from a defense customer in the Australia and New Zealand region on July 8, 2024. This order, facilitated by the delivery partner Criterion Solutions, marks the debut of the SKY […]
Australia; Army orders Switchblade 300 loitering munitions
The Australian government is set to enhance its military capabilities by acquiring Switchblade 300 drones from the American company AeroVironment, a type of precision loitering munition effectively used by Ukrainian forces. The announcement, scheduled by the Albanese government for Monday, marks a significant step in modernizing the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with advanced unmanned systems. […]
Australia; Army set to receive 27 new M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks .
As reported by Ronkainen on June 23, 2024, a freight train was spotted traveling through Oxnard, California, transporting a cargo of 27 M1A2 Abrams tanks. These tanks, en route to Port Hueneme, California, are the Australian version of the M1A2 SEPv3, designated for the Australian Army. They are identifiable by their unique AusCam camouflage and […]
Tuvalo; Coast Guard receives surplus Taiwanese patrol boats
According to information published by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan on May 22, 2024, a ceremony was held in Pingtung, Taiwan, to mark the naming and handover of two multifunctional patrol boats donated to Tuvalu. During the ceremony, Ambassador Lin Dong-heng, representing the Taiwanese government, officially handed over the two patrol boats to Prime […]
Japan-Australia; MoDs eyes collaboration on new missile frigate development.
According to information published by Japan News on May 8, 2024, the Japanese government is considering a bid to co-develop new frigates with Australia. Japan plans to upgrade its Maritime Self-Defense Force’s advanced frigate and offer it to Australia if chosen as a development partner. Japan will face competition from other countries, but securing this […]
Australia; Government approves US$37Bn. defense budget for 2025
Australia has announced a record defense budget of AU$55.7 billion, US$36.8 billion, for 2025, representing a 6.3% increase from the previous year and accounting for 2.02% of the country’s GDP. This significant budgetary increase underscores Australia’s commitment to enhancing its military capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. The defense budget includes an […]
Australia; MoD to allocate $US 32 Bn. for modernization in the next decade
Australia will boost defence spending by A$50.3 billion ($32 billion) over the next decade and reshuffle its weapons programs to emphasise missiles, drones and warships as it looks to the possibility of a Pacific conflict between China and the U.S. The bulk of the new spending, part of a A$330 billion decade-long budget, will only […]
Australia; Government publishes record 10 years defense budget
On 17 April 2024, The Australian government announced a major increase in defense spending. Over the next ten years, the country will allocate an additional AU$ 32 billion towards modernizing and developing its military capabilities, focusing on missiles, drones, and warships, reflecting concerns about potential conflicts in the Pacific, particularly between China and the United […]