Australia’s imminent hypersonic future is imperative in the face of mounting Chinese aggression, according to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.
Australia and its AUKUS partners the United Kingdom and the United States have announced new trilateral co-operation on hypersonics, counter-hypersonics and electronic warfare capabilities in a bid to ensure a “free and open” Indo-Pacific.
The missiles will be nuclear capable, and come after Russia used the deadly high-speed missiles in air strikes last month amid the war in Ukraine.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott told a Sky News documentary on Tuesday night that there was a risk China could be “emboldened” by Russia’s missile attacks and take Taiwan.
Mr Joyce said the Chinese use of hypersonic missiles was an “existential threat” to Australia after President Xi Jinping gave the green light for several successful launches in previous months.
Mr Joyce said with the threat on Australia’s doorstep, there was a need to become “as strong as possible as quickly as possible”.
“The Chinese have managed to fly and launch (hypersonic missiles) around the world … they hit within miles of their target, which, if you’ve got a nuclear warhead on it, is as good as bang on,” Mr Joyce told Sky News on Wednesday.
“This gives an existential threat to Australia … about 14 minutes after a launch they would be able to reach (Sydney).
“We have to make sure we’re right at the top of our game.”
Earlier, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said having access to the hypersonic technology – which allows the missiles to travel at five times the speed of sound – would help secure Australia “in a pretty uncertain international environment”.
He also downplayed insinuations the government, alongside the UK and the US, was playing “catch up” to Russia and China.
“These are the latest and most hi-tech missiles that we’re talking abut. It’s not like they’ve been in operation for a decade or so,” Mr Frydenberg told the Nine Network.
In a statement overnight, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was “pleased” with the progress being made with Boris Johnson and Joe Biden to progress AUKUS.
“We are fully committed to establishing a robust approach to sharing naval propulsion technology with Australia that strengthens the global non-proliferation regime,” the statement said.
It’s the second day in a row that Australia has made a significant Defence announcement after Peter Dutton confirmed a $3.5bn deal that would mean long-range strike missiles were available years ahead of schedule.
Mr Dutton on Tuesday said Australia needed to be prepared to deter “any act of aggression against our country”.
“We’re very worried about what’s happening in the Indo-Pacific, and China is on a course with regards to Taiwan,” he said.
“We need to be realistic about what happens over the next few years. Everything we’re doing is designed to try and deter any act of aggression.”
