Australia will acquire advanced anti-radiation guided missiles-extended range (AARGM-ER) for its air force and Spike long-range (LR) 2 anti-tank guided missiles for the army.
Roughly 431 million Australian dollars ($278.7 million) will be spent to procure 60 AARGM-ERs from the US.
Meanwhile, 50 million Australian dollars ($32.3 million) will be allocated for local Spike LR2 production in partnership with Varley Rafael. The first tranche of this order is scheduled for delivery early next year.
The air-to-ground AARGM missiles will be used to neutralize adversary radar systems. The US State Department cleared the foreign military sale of the weapons to Australia in February.
Once delivered, the Royal Australian Air Force’s Growler electronic warfare and Super Hornet multirole combat aircraft will be equipped with the weapons, as well as future F-35A Lightning II fighter jets.
The Spike LR2s will be integrated with the Australian Army’s Boxer combat reconnaissance vehicles.
The anti-tank missiles will provide warfighters the capability to intercept targets at over five kilometers.
Sustaining National Security
The AARGM-ER and Spike LR2 procurements are part of a 1.7-billion Australian dollar ($1 billion) investment in advanced capabilities to match evolving threats.
“With the acquisition of these formidable long-range strike missiles the Albanese Government is acting with pace to deliver on the recommendations of the Defence Strategic Review,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles stated.
“We are investing in the capabilities our Defence Force needs to hold our adversaries at risk further from our shores and keep Australians safe in the complex and uncertain world in which we live today.”
“The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of having not just war stocks, but a domestic missile manufacturing industry and this announcement will help deliver that.”
Tomahawk Missiles and Additional HIMARS
Canberra is also purchasing more than 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US to arm the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers.
Furthermore, the government is obtaining additional High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems or HIMARS to support the acquisition of long-range, land-based, and surface-to-surface missiles across the armed forces.
