Australia to allocate $27 billion to boost its defense by 2040
The Australian government aims to boost its defense with $27 billion and increase the number of its soldiers to 80,000.
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The number of permanent defense employees will surpass 101,000 in 2040.
Australia's government has decided to allocate 38 billion Australian dollars ($27 billion) to boost the country's national defense and increase the number of its military employees.
Canberra's soldiers will be increased by close to 18,500, reaching about 80,000 personnel, while the number of its defense employees will reach above 101,000 in 2040, according to an announcement by PM Scott Morrison, marking an almost 30% increase.
The objective of this military enforcement is to "keep Australians safe," amid Australia's posturing with AUKUS, which cited the "China threat", and the growing alliance between Beijing and Moscow.
On Monday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed that his government approved a proposal to establish a new base on the country's eastern coast to house nuclear-powered assault submarines (SSNs) under the tri-nation AUKUS agreement.
The submarines will be manufactured in the country following a technology transfer from either the US or the UK.
In a foreign policy speech at Lowy Institute, Morrison said that the government "decided to establish a future submarine base on the east coast of Australia," noting that the situation in Ukraine will "inevitably stretch to the Indo-Pacific."
