2016 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER

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CHAPTER FOUR: THE FUTURE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE
environment. Increasingly, these capabilities will provide an ability to
undertake anti-submarine warfare throughout the maritime environment.
SECTION TWO CAPABILITY
4.24 Defence’s ability to contribute to border protection will be enhanced
with the introduction of larger, more capable offshore patrol vessels
with greater range, endurance and improved carrying capacity and a
new large-hulled multi-purpose patrol vessel, the Australian Defence
Vessel Ocean Protector. The Government will invest in enhancements
to multiple layers of the maritime surveillance system including new
manned and unmanned aircraft.
Submarines
4.25 Submarines are an essential part of Australia’s naval capability, providing
a strategic advantage in terms of surveillance and protection of our
maritime approaches. The Government has determined that regionally
superior submarines with a high degree of interoperability with the
United States are required to provide Australia with an effective deterrent,
including by making a meaningful contribution to anti-submarine warfare
operations in our region. The key capabilities of the future submarine
will include: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance; and support to special operations.
4.26 The Government will increase the size of the submarine force from six
to 12 boats. The doubling in size of the submarine fleet recognises
that Australia will face a more challenging maritime environment in the
decades ahead. By 2035, around half of the world’s submarines will
be operating in the Indo-Pacific region where Australia’s interests are
most engaged. Australia has one of the largest maritime domains in the
world and we need the capacity to defend and further our interests from
the Pacific to the Indian Oceans and from the areas to our north to the
Southern Ocean. Submarines are a powerful instrument for deterring
conflict and a potent weapon should conflict occur.