Australia has just taken another step, as part of the AUKUS agreement with the US and the UK, that is leading us towards an event that should be unthinkable - involvement in a major war against China.
$1/
(min cost $8)
Login or signup to continue reading
On Tuesday, January 16, acting Defence Minister Pat Conroy announced a $37 million contract with Lockheed Martin Australia to begin the manufacturing in Australia in 2025 of GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) rockets, which have a range of around 70 kilometres. Australia will also purchase the longer range (over 500 kilometres) Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), and will join the development program to extend their range to around 1000 kilometres in the future.
Lockheed Martin Australia's parent company, Lockheed Martin, is the world's biggest weapons maker, 90 per cent of its revenue coming from weapons sales. Like other weapons companies, Lockheed Martin relies on wars and threats of wars for its existence.
Its stocks rose almost immediately after the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israeli civilians, its fighter jets being among those that are currently destroying Gaza. The company has profited greatly from the wars in Ukraine and Afghanistan and elsewhere.
While Mr Conroy reassured us that this investment "is contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific", long-range weapons for Australia are, on the contrary, likely to have........