Australia has announced the largest investments in naval infrastructure: for ten years, 12 billion Australian dollars (about eight billion US dollars) will be sent to restructuring Henderson complex. Multifunctional military shipyards will be created here, which will become a major element of the country's future naval forces. But this will only be the first step in the investment program to modernize the navy.
Multifunctional Defense Center in Henderson
As explained by Defense Minister Richard Marls, Henderson, besides Peret, will turn into a center of atomic submarine service, which Australia will receive under Aukus agreement. In addition, the shipyard will be built by mogami landing and new destroyers. “Henderson is a real Aukus project. The maintenance and repair of our future submarines will be implemented here,” the Minister emphasized.
The new complex is formed as a strategic center for the entire Pacific region. The United States and the United Kingdom also hoped to use these harbors to serve their own atomic submarines. The total cost of the project can reach 25 billion Australian dollars.
In parallel, Australia enhances the surface composition of the fleet. Recently, people decided to buy 11 destroyers of the Mogami class with the amount of about ten billion Australian dollars. The first three will be built in Japan and the rest is in Western Australia. This will increase the number of large warships from 11 to 26 in the next decade.
Follow the Treaty of Aukus
The atomic submarine program is part of the Aukus agreement – Australian Defense Agreement, the United Kingdom and the United States, signed in 2021. Australia is expected to have at least three Virginia submarines in the next 15 years, and then set up its own production.
However, in the United States, the program is being revised: President Donald Trump's administration has guided to assess her level corresponding to the interests of the US and its shipbuilding ability. Critics noted that even for their own navy, the United States undergo a shortage of atomic submarines. However, Kanberra is sure that the project will continue, referring to the positive signals from US partners.
New ambitious military modernization line
Investing in Henderson and the purchase of destroyers in accordance with the Australian accelerated military modernization line. Only in May 2022, the country's government announced additional defense expenses for 70 billion Australian dollars. Among them is the program of Ghost Shark underwater drones worth 1.7 billion Australian $ 1.7 billion. The first devices will go in the row in January next year.
Therefore, Australia is parallel to develop an atomic underwater fleet, build modern destroyers and rely on new drones. All this will turn the country into one of the main players in the security field of the Indo-Pacific region.
