Australia will raise defence spending of 2 percent over the next seven years 12402161

Defence & Security News - Australia
 
Australia will raise defence spending of 2 percent over the next seven years.
Australia will raise defence spending to 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) over the next seven years in a formal announcement to be made by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later this week.
     
Australia will raise defence spending to 2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) over the next seven years in a formal announcement to be made by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later this week. Australian Army soldiers from Darwin gathered on the Robertson Barracks parade ground to farewell Brigadier Mick Ryan, outgoing Commander of 1st Brigade, and welcome incoming commander, Brigadier Ben James, during a change of command parade on Monday, 1 February 2016. (Source Australian Department of Defence)
     
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, February 24, 2016, Turnbull said the investment, to be revealed as part of the long-anticipated Defence White Paper, would serve Australia for "decades" to come.

According to News Corp, which secured a copy of the White Paper before its release on Thursday, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will recruit more than 5,000 new troops, upgrade troop weapons and armored vehicles, while it will also splurge on 12 new submarines and an upgraded air force fleet - both combat and reconnaissance.

In the paper, the government intends to lift defence spending to 2 percent of the nation's GDP by 2023 - a plan initially laid out by former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

According to experts, that would result in almost one trillion dollars (710 billion U.S dollars) being put into defence over the next 10 years.

Turnbull said the cost of the Defence White Paper was justified as it would set a higher standard for Australia's armed forces.

Currently, Australian Armed Forces would like to enhance the mounted close combat capability of the Land Force under the Land 400 program by providing armoured fighting vehicles with improved firepower, protection, mobility and communication characteristics to enable tactical success in the contemporary and future operational environment.

LAND 400 will deliver a Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV), an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), a Manoeuvre Support Vehicle (MSV) and an Integrated Training System (ITS).

LAND 400 will allow a staged retirement of the in-service Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) and the M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carrier fleets in line with their technical Life of Type and reducing tactical utility in the contemporary operational environment that involves increasing levels of lethality and complexity.