Australia Scrambles To Strengthen Military As China’s Navy Asserts Dominance

China’s military ambitions are growing bolder, and its latest move has sent shockwaves through Australia’s defense establishment. Over the past month, the Chinese Navy conducted a provocative military exercise, effectively encircling Australia in an unannounced show of force. This unprecedented maneuver not only exposed Australia’s weak naval capabilities but also disrupted air traffic and neared a U.S. military base hosting a nuclear submarine.

• China deployed a three-ship task force a cruiser, a frigate, and a replenishment tanker around Australia, entering its exclusive economic zone and conducting live-fire drills.

• The exercise marks the furthest south China’s navy has ever ventured, sending a clear message of dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.

• With just 10 warships and 200 missile cells, Australia’s navy is dwarfed by China’s rapidly expanding fleet, which is already the world’s largest.

Despite downplaying the incident in public, Australian officials are now scrambling to address their glaring defense shortfalls. A key focus is the rapid deployment of advanced anti-ship missile systems, designed to be launched from mobile platforms.

With its navy “the oldest and smallest it has been since World War II,” Australia is now expediting weapons procurement to counter China’s growing military threat. Defense officials are considering Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile, a system with a potential range of 1,000 kilometers, which could be fired from High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers. Australia has already ordered 42 HIMARS units from the U.S., expected to be operational by 2026-27.

According to retired Australian Army Major General Mick Ryan, mobile missile launchers provide a critical advantage over traditional warships. "You can park it under a tree, fire, and move. They won’t find you," he said, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness and flexibility of land-based launchers.

Additionally, Australia is bolstering its navy and air force with new long-range missiles. Former defense official Ross Babbage stressed the urgency of the situation, calling for an immediate acceleration of missile deployment: “We ought to be really turbo-charging this.”

This latest Chinese provocation is part of a broader pattern of military aggression. With its naval forces expanding at a breakneck pace, China is asserting control over strategic waterways, intimidating its neighbors, and undermining U.S. influence in the Pacific.

Australia’s response will be a key test of whether Western allies are prepared to confront Beijing’s military expansion or continue to let China dictate the terms of engagement. The time for complacency is over.

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