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Defence and security

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Soldiers from Australia’s elite Special Air Service Regiment are transported by Blackhawk helicopter during a training exercise in the seas to the north of Australia

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) comprises the Navy, Army and Air Force. Its mission is to defend Australia and its national interests.

The ADF has four strategic tasks that guide the development of defence capabilities. These are: ensuring the defence of Australia and its direct approaches; contributing to the security of Australia’s immediate neighbourhood; supporting wider interests by contributing to international coalitions to meet crises beyond Australia’s immediate neighbourhood; and undertaking peacetime national tasks that support wider Australian interests.

Australia works with other countries to promote security in the Asia Pacific region. It achieves this, among other ways, through the ANZUS Alliance relationship with the United States and the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) involving Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Other multilateral forums such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which brings together most Asia Pacific countries to discuss regional security issues, are also a key means for Australia to contribute to confidence-building measures in the region.

In recent years, the closeness of the relationship with the United States has been supported not only by cooperative military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also by substantial policy convergence. Cooperation between the two nations has strengthened and underlined the value of the alliance in pursuing common strategic and defence interests, particularly in countering the global and regional terrorist threat.

Australia has longstanding bilateral defence and security links with countries in the region. It is also expanding bilateral, regional and multilateral security links, including dialogues on a range of non-military issues such as pandemics, illegal migration, refugee flows, environmental degradation, narcotics, trans-national crime and counter-terrorism.

Terrorism and the new strategic landscape

The strategic landscape in Australia and the world has changed radically in recent years. Terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction have taken on new prominence.

The Australian Government’s response to international terrorism acknowledges that the threat to Australians and Australian interests has increased, both domestically and overseas.

This altered strategic landscape calls for an increased emphasis on readiness and mobility. It also calls for the development and enhancement of important new capabilities and, where prudent, a reduced emphasis on capabilities of less importance.

The presence of extremist organisations in South-East Asia shows the need for improved cooperation within the region. Australia has signed memorandums of understanding on combating international terrorism with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei and negotiations are under way with other governments.

Australia’s contribution to the international coalition against terrorism has included diplomatic, legislative, police and intelligence cooperation. It has assisted in financial and border controls, as well as direct military activities.

Did you know?

Support for international peacekeeping

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Australian soldiers in Dili, East Timor

The Australian Defence Force has made many contributions to world peace by serving in combat operations and acting as UN and multinational peacekeepers and observers.

Australian military personnel deployed to East Timor when violence erupted after the East Timorese people voted for independence. The United Nations asked Australia to build and lead a multinational force, and to provide the largest national personnel component. More than 5000 Australian Defence Force personnel and about 4500 personnel from 21 other countries made up the first UN peacekeeping coalition in East Timor.

Australian military personnel have also served in peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in a range of countries, including Afghanistan, Bougainville, Cambodia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Namibia, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Somalia and Zimbabwe.

Current international operations

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Soloman Islands school children celebrate the destruction of weapons during the firearms amnesty, 2003
Sean Burton/Department of Defence

The Australian Defence Force has approximately 2000 personnel deployed on more than 10 operations around the world. Defence personnel are also deployed on exchange, third-country deployments, peacekeeping operations and border protection operations.

About 880 Australian Defence personnel are currently assisting in the rehabilitation of Iraq, including providing military training to the new army, air traffic control and security.

Another 100 Australian Defence personnel participate in the UN Mission in Support of East Timor—much reduced from Australia’s first contribution, thanks to peace and stability. The ADF contribution undertakes headquarters, logistics and military liaison tasks in addition to support for training the fledgling East Timor Defence Force.

Australia has a key role in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands known as Operation Helpem Fren. The Australian contingent comprises about 17 Australian Defence Force personnel as well as Australian Federal Police and personnel from the Australian Protective Service. Military personnel from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga provide security, logistics and operational support.

In the Middle East, Australian Defence personnel are part of the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) operating  in Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Australia has been part of this mission since 1956 and the current commitment is 11 personnel. Australia also contributes to the Multinational Force and Observers in Egypt’s Sinai Desert. Currently, 25 Australian personnel assist in this mission.

In addition to military operations, the Australian Defence Force also provides support to civil agencies enforcing Australian sovereign rights and fisheries laws. Maritime patrols to date have successfully apprehended smugglers and foreign fishing vessels with millions of dollars of illegal catch on board.

Defence and science

Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is staffed with some of the most brilliant scientific minds in the country. Its primary mission is to ensure the expert, impartial and innovative application of science and technology to the defence of Australia and its national interests.

One of the recent innovations to come out of DSTO is the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), which came into operation in April 2003. It marked the culmination of more than 30 years of DSTO research into Australian environmental conditions, signal processing and frequency management. DSTO leads the world by a significant margin in this over-the-horizon radar technology.

Did you know?

The airplane flight data recorder, or black box, is an Australian invention. The idea of a crash-proof and fire-proof device to record the voices and instrument readings in a plane’s cockpit was conceived in 1954 for military application by Dr David Warren, a scientist in what is now known as DSTO. Following a civilian plane crash in 1960, Australia became the first country to make flight recorders mandatory in airplanes. Every airplane in the world now flies with a black box.

Defence and industry

Australia is working with the United States in the system development and demonstration phase of the international Joint Strike Fighter program. Australian companies, including many internationally competitive small and medium-sized enterprises with advanced technologies, are winning work in this international program and entering the global aerospace market.

Australia’s Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft project has seen its first airframe rolled out in the United States. Australian companies are involved in the design and development of radar and electronic warfare systems for this aircraft as well as manufacturing radar components.

Other defence–industry projects include production of Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters; the application of locally developed technology to the Australian Army’s land vehicle fleets, including the Bushranger, M113 upgrade and Australian Light Armoured Vehicle projects; and the Royal Australian Navy’s replacement patrol boats and the updated AP-3C maritime patrol aircraft.

Did you know?

The Royal Australian Navy, in collaboration with two small Australian companies and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, has developed technology for the safe and reliable removal of underwater explosive mines.

The Cormorant Lift Bag is activated from a remote control unit located up to one kilometre away, ensuring safety for the divers. The lift bag fills with air from the cylinders contained within its assembly unit, bringing the mine to the surface. On recovery, the mine can be towed to a safe place for defusing or detonation.

The Cormorant can lift underwater objects weighing up to 1000 kilograms from depths of 90 metres without the use of an explosive charge. The bag can also be used for civilian applications such as search and rescue and salvage operations.

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Last update May 2005