ADF Boss Weighs In On Middle East Military Capabilities

‘I am very confident we could deploy a ship into that environment if the government was to make a decision to do so,’ said Admiral David Johnston.

Admiral David Johnston speaks during a meeting at the Ministry of Defence in central Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 5, 2025. Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

Australia could deploy a warship to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for oil trade if it was asked, the head of the defence force says, but the government wants to focus its military attention closer to home.

The nation’s top military officer has pushed back on suggestions Australia has not sent a Navy ship to the Middle East because of its ageing fleet, arguing it was more a question of where the defence force should focus its efforts.