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. The eventual total number, when counting defence employees and public servants, will be closer to 101,000. Such a move will cost the government AU$38 billion (US$27.8 billion) and will see the defence department embark on a recruitment drive to man Australia’s incoming nuclear-powered submarine program, cyber warfare operations, intelligence, electronic warfare, “long-range fires” capabilities, and a rapidly expanding naval fleet—including the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigates and Arafura-class patrol vessels. “Our world is becoming increasingly uncertain so it’s important …
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