Australia Announces Biggest Expansion of Military Personnel in 40 Years

Increased focus on “grey zone” warfare

An Australian soldier from 7 Brigade operates a machine gun through the turret of a truck as part of exercise Talisman Sabre in Rockhampton, Australia, on July 9, 2015. Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

Australia will see the biggest expansion to its defence force since the Vietnam War amid ongoing tensions in the Indo-Pacific and war in Ukraine.

The build-up, announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Peter Dutton, will see personnel numbers swell by 30 percent from the current active force of 59,095 to around 80,000 by 2040, far above the 12,500 additional troops recommended last year by the Department of Defence.