Christopher Pyne. Australian Defence Industry Minister, has announced purchase of six Triton military surveillance drones from US at a cost of about $7 billion – more than $1 billion each.
In an interview with Fairfax Media, Christopher Pyne said that the “unmanned vehicle travels about 11,000km in its range…” and “can go up for a day or more at 60,000 feet”. He said that the fleet “will cover South China sea”.
“we cover about 10% of world’s surface in Australia in reconnaissance and surveillance for our allies, particularly for United States”, said Pyne.
Made by American defence giant Northrop Grumman, with a wingspan similar to Boeing 737 and capable to monitor about 40,000 square kilometres in a day, the first drone will come into service in 2023 with remaining being operational by 2025.
According to Daily Mail Australia on 26 June 2018, these drones will expand Australia’s “regional military role in Asia and strengthen operations with the US” and will “be controlled remotely from South Australia and Northern Territory.
“Australia’s alliance with the US is our most important defence relationship, underpinned by strong co-operation in defence industry and capability development,” Mr Turnbull said in a statement.
As reported by Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) on 25 June 2018, “a visiting retired Chinese army general maintained Beijing had breach no international laws or rules by militarising artificial islands in the South China Sea.”
“Reflecting a defiant stance among the Chinese defence force, former People’s Liberation Army Major-General Yao Yunzhu told a conference at the Australian National University in Canberra: “What have been the rules of militarisation or non-militarisation? There are no rules, but China again was blamed for militarising these islands … Who knows what the rules are?”, reported SMH.
These aircrafts will be accommodated “at their home base of Edinburgh, north of Adelaide, as well as RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory”, reported SMH.
