Australia to Buy $7 Billion Worth of US Missiles

The Defence Strategic Review released last year warned Australia was not prepared for warfare in the ’missile age.’

HMAS Sydney fires Royal Australian Navys first Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) during Exercise Pacific Dragon 2024. Daniel Goodman/Australian Department of Defence

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is to acquire $7 billion (US$4.7 billion) worth of medium- and long-range missiles from the United States, which will be “progressively deployed” across the Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has announced.

They'll also be used on the Hunter-class frigates, which will enter service in the early 2030s.