Australian Maritime Issues 2005 - Royal Australian Navy

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AUSTRALIAN MARITIME ISSUES 2005: SPC-A ANNUAL
Australia’s defence forces to operate effectively in high threat environments. Australia
should not, for example, undertake large scale operations against a sovereign state
without the support of allies.
The committee recommended that the new Defence White Paper should state:
- Australia’s strategic objectives including the defence of Australia and its direct
approaches together with greater focus on, and acquisition of, capabilities to operate
in the region, and globally in defence of our non-territorial interests;
- how Australia’s security is interrelated with regional and global security;
- the continuation of the commitment to ‘self-reliance’ in those situations where
Australia has least discretion to act;
- measures that will enhance inter-operability with Australia’s allies, such as the United
States; and
- a maritime strategy which includes the elements of sea denial, sea control and power
projection ashore.
Other major recommendations of the Committee included:
- the need for Defence to explain how adequate air protection will be provided to land
and naval forces before delivery of new air warfare destroyers during 2013;
- Defence to outline progress with joint operations and regional cooperation initiatives
which seek to enhance the security and protection of vessels SLOCs;
- Defence to ensure that the maritime strategy in a new Defence White Paper includes
clear and explicit reference to Australia’s Oceans Policy and explains its interrelationship
with Defence policy, as well as to outline the role of merchant shipping and its support
of defence objectives; and
- the Government to outline to the Joint Committee progress with helping to develop a
regional Oceans Policy, and to state whether or not it intends to introduce an Australian
Shipping policy.
Further recommendations included the need:
- to restate and assess the Army sustainment model;
- to evaluate Army Reserves policy;
- to reassess current plans for air-to-air refuelling aircraft;
- to examine air combat capabilities in the region including details on the range of
options to maintain air superiority in the region (for example consideration of F/A-18A
upgrade as well as F-35 options);
- to consider purchasing short take off and vertical landing F-35 variants for the
provision of organic air cover as part of regional operations; and
- to clarify Australia’s strike capability in the light of its decision to retire the F-111.