And as it turned out, the other three objects didn’t come from China, Joe Biden conceded on Thursday. The Sidewinder air-to-air missiles used reportedly cost $US400,000 ($577,000) a pop. Shooting down the first balloon off the coast of South Carolina, and three subsequent unidentified objects over North America hasn’t come cheap. Simultaneously, the government is going through the findings of the separate Defence Strategic Review that will spark a major overhaul of the military and could urge that billions of dollars be spent on new warships, lethal drones and long-range missiles.Īt the same time, China’s purported use of “spy” balloons to fly over the United States has exposed how relatively low-cost technology can trump even the most advanced militaries. Now, the Albanese government is digesting the recommendations of its AUKUS taskforce that is expected to put the cost of acquiring nuclear-powered submarines at more than $100 billion. In 1998, the cost of building the six vessels was put at $5.1 billion, or $10 billion when adjusted for inflation.Īustralia’s existing Collins class submarines will begin decommissioning in the late 2030s. For all the controversy over Australia’s development of the Collins class submarines, in hindsight it was a comparative bargain.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |