AUSTRALIA braces for a dramatic realignment of its military amid plans to fast-track the purchase of land-based missiles.
The Federal Government is set to dramatically scale back the number of infantry fighting vehicles it buys for the army to give way for the expansion of other projects.
The Defense Strategic Review (DSR) recommends that a ‘multi-billion-dollar project’ to build high-tech army vehicles will be slashed by more than two-thirds as part of a dramatic realignment of the Australian military.
The review proposed that the number of infantry fighting vehicles should be reduced from 450 to 129 while plans to buy a second regiment of self-propelled howitzer artillery should be canceled.
The report also recommends fasting track the purchase of long-range missiles and mobile land-based missiles to deter rising regional threats.
The DSR aims to prepare the Australian military to effectively respond to the changing regional and global strategic environment and to ensure the funds will be allocated to those projects that are of higher priority.
The Federal Government is expected to present its full response to the DSR before Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) Day, also known as ‘The National Day of Remembrance’, held every April 25.
