Chinese threat or American pressure? What really fueled Australia's 1.3 billion missile purchase

Time of India

3 days ago

As China flexes its military muscle with live-fire drills near Australia and dual aircraft carrier exercises near Japan, Canberra responds with its wallet, confirming a $1.3 billion missile deal with the United States. The defence community is buzzing about whether this decision was due to a Chinese threat or US pressure that made the deal.
Australia's Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy on Thursday, July 3, confirmed the deal to purchase two advanced variants of the
AIM-120 AMRAAM
(Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile).
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The US Congress was notified of the 400-missile sale earlier in April, while a separate $2 billion package for electronic warfare upgrades for Australia's EA-18 Growlers and F/A-18s was announced in June.
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Despite these purchases, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has so far resisted US demands to commit to a 3.5 per cent GDP defense spending target. Australian defense expenditure is projected to rise to 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033.
The Beijing effect
On February 20 and 21, China's
People's Liberation Army Navy
(PLAN) conducted first ever live-fire exercises near the shores of Australia and New Zealand, which gave equal headaches for the defence establishments in Canberra and Wellington.
The most threatening part for the Australian government was that these drills closely followed a Chinese fighter jet dropping flares near an Australian maritime aircraft over the South China Sea and Beijing's controversial agreements with the Cook Islands, which prompted objections from New Zealand.
China's ever-increasing presence in the South Pacific has been widely interpreted as a pushback against growing Western naval activity.
Just days earlier, two US warships, the USS Ralph Johnson and USNS Bowditch, passed through the Taiwan Strait, the first such transit since President Donald Trump's return to the White House.
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Simultaneously, China has been conducting aggressive naval exercises in the Western Pacific too, with both of its aircraft carriers, the Shandong and the Liaoning, carrying out operations since late May.
On June 7 and 8, Chinese fighters shadowed and crossed in front of Japanese planes for 40 to 80 minutes, prompting Tokyo to lodge a formal protest.
What do AIM-120C-8 and AIM-120D-3 missiles include
The AIM-120C-8 variant is optimized for long-range, beyond-visual-range engagements. It is intended for use with Australia's F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-35 stealth fighters, whose range can reach 160–180 km.
This Supersonic, around Mach 4, missile can be designed to intercept fast-moving enemy aircraft, including stealth fighters.
The AIM-120D-3 is an upgraded missile system that boasts enhanced electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) and a GPS-aided inertial navigation system for precise targeting.
Improved kinematics and range will support a new long-range Army strike brigade capable of hitting targets up to 500 km away.
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The broader deal
The purchase is part of a broader A$74 billion plan announced last year by the Albanese government to modernise missile and deterrent capabilities, including A$21 billion to set up a Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise in Australia.
Observers note that China's escalating drills in the South Pacific and near Japan are speeding up the formation of a more robust
Indo-Pacific security
axis involving the U.S., Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.