Australia will spend an additional 400 million Australian dollars (approximately 260 million US dollars) to produce the next generation of military drones. At this point, Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conory stated that this and similar local production projects will create more jobs. According to the government, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat, designed and built in collaboration with the Australian arm of US aircraft manufacturer Boeing, is designed to perform a wide range of missions, including a combat role.[1]
Pat Conroy said “This is the first military aircraft designed, engineered and built in Australia in the past 50 years. It also highlights the depth of innovation and expertise in our defence industry.” in his statement. The government has already spent 600 million Australian dollars for the purchase of 10 drones.[2]
It could be argued that Australia is trying to justify the huge costs of projects such as the AUKUS military alliance with the United States (US) and Britain by citing the jobs created by the projects to justify the increased production of indigenous defence systems.
According to the statement, the additional funding for Ghost Bat will secure more than 350 jobs across Australia and provide continued business for more than 200 suppliers.[3] Australia’s recent investments in the defence industry and local production projects such as the MQ-28A Ghost Bat can be considered as a strategic step towards the country’s goals of strengthening defence capabilities and creating jobs. These types of investments have both positive and negative impacts on the defence industry.
First of all, local production projects improve the technological capabilities of the national defence industry and reduce the external dependence of defence resources. Local production of military unmanned aerial vehicles such as the MQ-28A Ghost Bat could increase Australia’s defence capabilities, which is important for regional security. In addition, local production projects can contribute to economic growth by increasing the global competitiveness of the national defence industry.
However, the costs of such projects and their impact on operational processes should also be considered. Local production can often be a costly process and may require efficient use of resources. Moreover, delays in technological innovation and design processes may prevent projects from being completed on time and lead to increased costs.
Nevertheless, such local production projects have the potential to create jobs in the defence industry ecosystem. In particular, through subcontractors and suppliers, these projects create jobs for many people. This can make a significant contribution to local economies and be an effective tool in the fight against unemployment.
Thus, it can be argued that reducing foreign dependence in the defence industry, and subsequently giving more importance to the domestic sector, is of significant importance for Australia, which is located in a region such as the Asia-Pacific, where security equations are highly fragile and military tensions are high, as well as being in an important position in regional military organizations such as AUKUS, ANZUS and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD).
As a matter of fact, Australia is a very important actor in the military equations of the Asia-Pacific, both because of its participation in the aforementioned security agreements and because it is an important ally of Washington and the Western Bloc in the region. This is because Canberra has a critical importance for the West both in terms of the threat from North Korea and the competition between China and the US.
Therefore, it is vital for Canberra to have its own ammunition in terms of security. Canberra is an important ally for the West both in terms of containing China and deterring North Korea, but it is a question mark how much the US can focus on and support the Asia-Pacific in the event of a possible crisis or hot conflict. There are already three conflict zones in the world: the Russian-Ukrainian War, the Israeli-Hamas War and the Khushi attacks in the Red Sea. Washington plays an active role in all three conflict zones in one way or another. On the other hand, there will be an election in the US in 2024. When all these situations are considered together, it can be predicted that it will be difficult for the US to allocate resources, energy and time to a new conflict. It can also be argued that the US does not want a new area of tension. As a matter of fact, this situation again reveals the importance of increasing Canberra’s own defence capacity in a way to reduce external dependence.
Moreover, it can be said that Australia already has a highly securitized foreign policy making process due to ANZUS, AUKUS and QUAD cooperation. At this point, it can be stated that the increasing importance given to the defence industry is likely to provide Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with an advantage in terms of popular consolidation. As a matter of fact, there will be an election in Australia in 2025. Thus, there are two important problems in Australian domestic politics, both in terms of new tax policies and the protests against the “Australia Day” celebrations. At this point, it can be said that Albanese can use the perception of “security” to ensure voter consolidation despite these domestic problems. It can be argued that this situation creates an opportunity for Albanese.
In addition to all these, considering both the regional competition with Beijing and the dangers posed by Pyongyang, it can be said that Australia can find a legitimate ground to develop its defence industry and increase its weapons ammunition in line with its national interests.
To sum up, local production projects for Australia’s defence industry are important in terms of strengthening the country’s defence capabilities and offering the potential for job creation. However, the costs, processes and impacts of such projects should be carefully considered and strategically managed.
[1] “Australia to Invest a Further $260m on Next-Generation Military Drones”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-invest-further-260m-next-generation-military-drones-2024-02-09/, (Date of Access: 09.02.2024).
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
