Australia and the United States must boost their stockpiles of missiles to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific and for Australia to defend its northern approaches, argues a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney.

Aiming higher: Accelerating US-Australia cooperation on precision-guided weapons by USSC Visiting Fellow Stacie Pettyjohn outlines steps for Australia to advance its Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance (GWEO) Enterprise in cooperation with the United States to meet both countries' strategic needs.

While the Australian Government has announced new investment and sustainment initiatives for the GWEO Enterprise — including building a manufacturing complex for sovereign rocket motors — challenges remain that must urgently be addressed.

“The report outlines a path to fast-track US-Australia cooperation on precision-guided weapons,” said USSC CEO Dr Michael Green. “It specifically assesses which weapons should be prioritised and slated for industrial cooperation by Australian and US defence planners.”

Australian and US policymakers have recognised the urgent need to acquire maritime strike and air defence missiles. However, neither country has the resources or capability to surge production to meet the scale of their requirements, argues the report. It presents clear steps to advance US-Australia GWEO cooperation in a way that supplements the US industrial base; deepens industrial base integration; and builds supply chain resilience.

“The USSC is committed to providing actionable research for policymakers addressing the geopolitical shifts and emerging challenges in the Indo-Pacific,” said Dr Green.

Stacie Pettyjohn is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security.

Key findings

  • Australia should co-develop and purchase sophisticated, long-range precision-guided weapons (PGMs) — the maritime strike and air defence weapons that are needed to deter China — from the United States instead of trying to domestically manufacture them.
  • Australia should focus its co-production of PGMs on weapons that have a large international market to maintain viable production lines; while the United States should allow Canberra to export the weapons that it domestically manufactures.
  • Australian companies should seek to produce sub-components that are currently in short supply in the United States, such as solid rocket motors, to strengthen combined supply chains.
  • The United States should provide Australia with the requisite technology and information to sustain key PGMs and consider how to inte­grate PGM sustainment and maintenance into Australia-US force posture initiatives.

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