2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER

Capability priorities 89
4.20 The Government will strengthen Defence’s cyber capabilities to protect
itself and other critical Australian government systems from malicious
cyber intrusion and disruption. Enhancing the resilience of Defence
networks, including networks used by our deployed forces, and the
capability of the Australian Cyber Security Centre are key areas of focus in
strengthening Australia’s cyber defences. This will include considerable
new investment in strengthening the Defence cyber workforce, including
new military and APS positions and training programs.
4.21 The Government will also establish a research and development
capability to help strengthen the defences of the ADF’s military
information systems against cyber attack.
Maritime Operations and Anti-Submarine Warfare Forces
4.22 Highly capable and versatile naval and maritime forces are vital to our
defence strategy. Australia’s naval and maritime forces must be able to
undertake a wide range of activities in support of the Strategic Defence
Objectives and operate across huge distances. The area of Australia’s
maritime zones, including our Exclusive Economic Zone, is one of the
largest in the world, with a total marine area of around 10 million square
kilometres. Australia is also responsible for covering one of the largest
search and rescue areas in the world, some 53 million square kilometres
of the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans. Our naval and maritime
forces deploy around the world for training, exercises and to participate
in coalition operations to support the rules-based global order.
SECTION TWO CAPABILITY
4.23 Modernising our maritime capabilities will be a key focus for Defence
over the next 20 to 30 years. Our maritime forces will become more
potent through the acquisition of more capable submarines, ships
and aircraft and better integration of combat and supporting systems
across Defence. These forces will help to protect our maritime borders,
secure our immediate northern approaches and proximate sea lines
of communication and enable us to project force in the maritime
2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER