The Foundation’s Chair, Air Marshal (Retd) Geoff Brown AO, who is also the former Chief of Air Force, was quoted in the public media this month on investing in integrated air and missile defence.
In an article in The Australian, Brown warns that Australian military personnel and key bases remain highly vulnerable to missile attacks, highlighting that they will be vulnerable for at least another decade under the prevailing circumstances.
Alongside former Chief of Army Peter Leahy, he underscores the need to prioritise funding for essential air and missile defence systems. Despite a recent acquisition of armed drones, critical gaps in missile defence persist, potentially requiring U.S. intervention to safeguard strategic bases. "At the moment, the Americans will probably bring their own [missiles for shared Top End base defence], I suspect," Brown noted.
The article also features insights from other experts who stress the critical need for a "layered air and missile defence capability" and advocate for a significant budget realignment to address these vulnerabilities.
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