"The NT is critical to the defence of the nation, not just in defending Australia but projecting power out into our region against any potential adversary," Mr Conroy said. He said the funding would go towards projects such as surveillance aircraft based at RAAF Tindal, near Katherine, and the purchasing and training of crew for new amphibious landing craft based in Darwin.
The federal government’s 2024 Integrated Investment Program has allocated $14 to $18bn over the next decade to strengthen bases in the NT, northern Queensland and northern Western Australia, and contribute to enhanced collective security of the Indo-Pacific.
In Darwin for a defence summit, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said “the lion’s share” of the funding would flow to the Territory.
“Nearly $400m on the Robertson Barracks redevelopment, $1.5bn on RAAF Base Tindal, hundreds of millions of dollars going into the United States Force Posture Initiatives training areas – they’re just a few examples of the billions of dollars that will go into the NT to develop these bases, which means a safer and stronger ADF and more jobs for Territorians.”
None of the funding was guaranteed for Territory companies, but Mr Conroy said he expected “most” of the money to flow to local industry.
Northern Australia had already got a big boost in the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, including $3.8 billion to improve the Australian Defence Force’s ability to operate and project force from our northern bases. Of that, $2 billion will be spent in the Northern Territory.
In the decade out to 2034, Australia will spend 4 percent of a whopping $765 billion defence budget—more than $30 billion—on hardening and upgrading northern bases. And $14-18 billion of that is coming down the pipeline soon. That’s big money.
RAAF Darwin is undergoing runway upgrade works so it can withstand heavy use by military and civilian aircraft, which is vital, and RAAF Tindal, 280 kilometres southeast, will host far-flying MQ-4C Triton, uncrewed maritime patrollers that will begin arriving this year.
Then there’s the army, which gets $7-10 billion for new littoral manoeuvre capabilities and $5-7 billion in related facilities in Queensland and Darwin, where three army units with 18 medium landing craft and eight heavy landing craft will be based. That equipment is central to our ability to transform the army into an amphibious force that can operate in the archipelagos and islands to our north and east.
"Picture the manoeuvres of the British and US planes that shot down Iranian missiles heading for Israel in April—only this time over the Arafura Sea, again." - *headdesk*
Mr Gosling said northern Australia’s defence would be seriously boosted by the Commonwealth’s $7-10bn investment in 18 medium landing craft and eight heavy landing craft, to be based in northern Australia.
Writing in the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Strategist magazine, the Top End’s federal MP said the strong focus on northern Australia in defence planning including the National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program reflected the crucial role the region would play in defending the nation.
He said northern Australian bases would “have a key role to play in helping the ADF to recover from an attack and strike back at the enemy”.
He flagged East Arm as a potential site to base the Territory’s contingent.
“Picture the manoeuvres of the British and US planes that shot down Iranian missiles heading for Israel in April — only this time over the Arafura Sea, again.”
Almost 10 months after a deadly air crash over the Tiwi Islands, the US Marines are back to flying Osprey aircraft in Top End skies, but it is unclear whether their Australian brethren will be joining them in the controversial chopper.
The Australian Defence Force do not operate Ospreys, however, as a partner of the United States Marine Corps, Australian troops have previously boarded the aircraft for training exercise purposes.
It is understood the incoming Ospreys will make the trip from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, for Darwin in the coming weeks.