Australia to boost military might

Australia will spend more than 70 billion US dollars boosting its defences over the next 20 years in response to a regional military build-up and shifts in power, the government said Saturday.

A long-term strategic blueprint for the future of Australia's armed forces warned that war could be possible in the Asia-Pacific region in the next two decades, as emerging powers such as China flexed their military might.

The United States would continue its military dominance and be an "indispensable" ally for Australia, the defence white paper said.

But as emerging or resurgent powers such as China, India and Russia tested US primacy, the paper said there was "a small but still concerning possibility of growing confrontation between some of these powers."

"China will be the strongest Asian military power, by a considerable margin," the paper said. "A major power of China's stature can be expected to develop a globally significant military capability befitting its size.

"But the pace, scope and structure of China's military modernisation have the potential to give its neighbours cause for concern if not carefully explained, and if China does not reach out to others to build confidence regarding its military plans," it said.

The global financial crisis was likely to accelerate a shift of power to the Asia-Pacific, and regional security would pivot on how strategic dynamics were managed between the US, China and Japan, it said.

A major conflict on the Korean peninsula remained a possibility, and the paper said the collapse of North Korea could not be ruled out, while Myanmar remained a "serious challenge."

An escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan was also of "significant concern," and the paper said Islamist extremism would pose a direct threat to Australia and its interests.

Canberra will acquire long-range cruise missiles, double its submarine fleet to 12 and buy 100 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets and eight new warships under the plan, titled "Force 2030."

"Force 2030 will be a more potent force in certain areas, particularly in undersea warfare and anti-submarine warfare, surface maritime warfare, air superiority, strategic strike... intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance and cyber warfare," the paper said.

AFP