Australia has announced a $7 billion missile purchase from the United States.

A new agreement aims to bolster Australia’s naval defence systems amid evolving global threats, by allowing the Royal Australian Navy to acquire the advanced Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) and Standard Missile-6 (SM-6), from American defence firm RTX (formerly Raytheon). 

Defence Minister Richard Marles says the acquisition reflects the government’s commitment to “accelerating the acquisition of critical capabilities” for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

Deployment will begin with the Navy's Hobart-class destroyers, with future plans to equip the Hunter-class frigates in the 2030s. 

The missiles will extend Australia’s defence capabilities across maritime, land, and air domains, including the nation's first terminal ballistic missile defence.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy says Australia is facing its “most complex geo-strategic environment since the Second World War”. 

Speaking in Washington, Conroy described the region as experiencing “the greatest arms race since 1945”.

The SM-2 IIIC, with a range of 166 kilometres, uses seeker technology for missile defence, while the SM-6, with a range of 370 kilometres, offers multi-purpose capabilities, including air defence, anti-ship operations, and ballistic missile interception. 

Australia tested the SM-6 near Hawaii in August, marking its first use outside the US.

The deal aligns with the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, which called for the purchase of modern missiles and uncrewed vehicles. 

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