U.S. to Assist Australia Develop Guided Missiles by 2025 – Austin

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The U.S. will assist Australia produce guided multiple-launch rocket programs by 2025, Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned on in Brisbane on Saturday.

Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are in Queensland state for the annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial (AUSMIN) dialogue with their Australian counterparts.

“We’re pursuing a number of mutually useful initiatives with Australia’s defence business, and these embody a dedication to assist Australia produce guided a number of launch rocket programs… by 2025,” Austin advised a press convention.

The usis additionally accelerating Australia’s entry to precedence munitions by means of a streamlined acquisition course of, he mentioned.

It’s the first time Australia has hosted the high-level assembly since 2019 as a result of COVID-19 disruption.

“We’re actually happy with the steps that we’re taking in respect of creating a guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise on this nation,” Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles mentioned.

He expressed hope that missile manufacturing may start in Australia in two years, as a part of a collective industrial base between our two international locations”.

Marles mentioned there could be an “elevated tempo of visits from American nuclear-powered submarines to our waters” as a part of the bilateral engagement.

After the two-day talks ending on Saturday, Marles and Austin have been set to journey to north Queensland, the place Australian and U.S. navy are collaborating within the Talisman Sabre warfare video games together with 11 different nations.

The video games, nevertheless, have been placed on maintain after an Australian navy helicopter taking part within the workouts crashed into the ocean, with not less than 4 individuals onboard feared useless.

(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Modifying by William Mallard)

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