US to help Australia develop guided missiles, rockets by 2025 'to counter China'

The United States will help Australia manufacture guided missiles and rockets and will expand the regional ally's military-industrial base within two years in an effort to counter China, the Associated Press reported. In an official announcement, the US government noted it will ramp up defense cooperation with Australia to snub China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific and its military assertiveness.

The two countries will strengthen cooperation on the guided weapon production. In March, the US announced a trilateral partnership 'AUKUS' with Australia, which involved Britain providing the ally nation with a fleet of eight US-powered nuclear-capable submarines. 

'Pursuing several mutually beneficial initiatives'

Speaking with reporters in Brisbane, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Washington will help Australia in producing guided multiple-launch rocket systems by 2025. He made the announcement alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they were both in Queensland state to attend the annual Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) dialogue with their Australian government. 

The 🇦🇺Australia-🇺🇸U.S. Alliance is an anchor of peace and stability. At AUSMIN 2023, @SecBlinken and I held productive discussions with our Australian counterparts @RichardMarlesMP and Foreign Minister @SenatorWong to ensure we advance bilateral security and defense cooperation. pic.twitter.com/doGVQ2Nuj6

— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) July 29, 2023

“We are pursuing several mutually beneficial initiatives with Australia’s defence industry, and these include a commitment to help Australia produce guided multiple-launch rocket systems … by 2025,” Austin said at a press conference.

Commenting on the bilateral development, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said: “We are really pleased with the steps that we are taking in respect of establishing a guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise in this country." The latter expressed hope that missile manufacturing might begin in Australia within two years with the help of the United States. There "would be an increased tempo of visits from American nuclear-powered submarines to our waters” as part of the bilateral engagement," the Australian Defence Minister Marles stressed.  "All of us have felt that the alliance has never been in better shape than it is right now," Marles, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, said.

Austin, meanwhile noted that the plan would "help the US sharpen our technological edge and strengthen our defence industrial base”. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that the US is a "vital ally." She stressed that Washington is Australia's "closest global partner; our closest strategic partner." Wong added that the recent meetings with their American counterparts were mainly about "operationalizing the alliance in order to ensure peace, stability, and order."