Australians warned to prepare for possibility of conflict ‘much more serious’ than Ukraine

Australia’s fast-tracked $3.5 billion defence package is a step to prepare for the possibility of something “much more serious than even what’s happening in Ukraine”, a warfare and military technology expert has warned.

The package will include the development of cutting-edge hypersonic missiles in conjunction with the US and UK, expanding the AUKUS pact beyond nuclear submarines.

Senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Malcolm Davis, said the step is in recognition of the reality that “we’re building up to something rather major in the coming years”, in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We’re looking at what China is doing in terms of its intentions with Taiwan, in particular in the second half of this decade, and I think we have to prepare for the possibility of major power war in our region, with China,  in the second half of this decade.

“So you are seeing a spike in defence spending and acquisition of new capabilities to prepare for that,” he told Stephen Quartermain and Emily Power, filling in for Ross and Russel.

Mr Davis says Darwin would be a “major target” in any US-China conflict which Australia was involved in.

“There’s a lot of military infrastructure up around here,” he said.

“Australians do need to open their eyes and recognise that there is a real and increasing risk that some time within this decade we could be facing something much more serious than even what is happening in Ukraine at the moment.

“If China were to get a base in the Solomon Islands then really, for the first time since 1942, the eastern seaboard of Australia would be open to attack in any future war. For the past decades we’ve really not had to worry about that scenario.”

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‘A very precarious time’: Why Australia has expedited $3.5 billion defence package