Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a new guided missile-building plan in close collaboration with the US (Rick Rycroft/AP)Australia has announced it will begin building its own guided missiles in close collaboration with the US as it seeks to boost its defence capabilities. Citing the “changing global environment”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it would partner with a weapons manufacturer to build the missiles in a plan that would create thousands of jobs as well as export opportunities. Mr Morrison said his country would spend one billion Australian dollars (£553 million) on the plan as part of a huge 10-year investment in defence and the defence industry. Australia is part of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, along with the US, Canada, Britain and New Zealand. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, an independent think tank, has estimated Australia will spend 100 billion Australian dollars (£55.4 billion) over the next 20 years on buying missiles and guided weapons.

Source: Irish Independent March 31, 2021 02:50 UTC