| Defence will have a number of potential new capability proposals to consider for the 2007 to 2017 and 2008 to 2018 Defence Capability Plans (DCP) with Capability Development Executive recently completing its third annual Defence Capability Update.
The updates are driven by the Government approved Defence Planning Guidance 2006 (DPG), a classified document which provides the Australian Defence Department with the strategic risk context and guidance to base future capability decisions on.
Presenting to the Defence Watch Seminar on 13 October 2006, Chief
Capability Development Executive, Lieutenant General David Hurley,
said the DPG prompts us to look more closely at new strategic possibilities
and risks.
‘Fortunately the 2006 DPG emphasises a number of strategic continuities already identified in unclassified guidance; and therefore there should not be wholesale changes in the DCP,’ he said.
A number of potential new capabilities are under consideration, including Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Defence (CBRND), and electronic warfare and intelligence capabilities as potential additions to the 2007 to 2017 DCP.
Other capabilities are also under consideration for inclusion in the 2008 to 2018 DCP including:
- Land 400, Survivability of Ground Forces, Phase 2;
- Land 907, Main Battle Tank replacement, Phase 2;
- Geomatic Support Systems;
- Land 53, Night Fighting and Surveillance Equipment, Phase 3;
- Land 40, Direct Fire Support Weapon, Phase 3;
- Deployable Force Infrastructure;
- Line of Communication Bridging;
- Combat Service Support Network;
- Enhanced Force Protection for Maritime Assets;
- An Air Traffic Management Control System;
- Aircraft Survivability;
- Helicopter Survivability;
- Enhanced Situational Awareness for Australian Defence Force Aircraft;
- Navy Minor War Vessel Replacement;
- Aviation Refuelling Trucks;
- Battle Group Air Defence; and
- Non-lethal Weapons.
Lieutenant General Hurley said a number of factors are influencing our strategic outlook and driving the updates.
‘The acquisition of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems is one factor. The introduction of missile systems and potentially WMD payloads into our region would be a substantial influence on our strategic outlook and also our future capabilities,’ he said.
‘The economic and technological changes in our region, particularly
in South-East Asia; the emergence of China and India; the relationship
between China and Japan; the acquisition of asymmetric weapons systems
and the ever present terrorist threat, are issues that influence
our strategic outlook.
‘Significantly we are not in a position of being able to pick and choose the operations that we think are important.
‘ Australia ’s security interests, whether it be within our country, on our borders, in our region, or across the globe, are diverse, and so too must be the capability that we develop to protect and support those interests.
‘In terms of the DCP this means that in order for us to meet these strategic challenges, it is important that we be flexible, that we be interoperable, and that we be able to work with other elements of the Australian Government and other regional and international defence forces,’ Lieutenant General Hurley said.
Note: The Australian Defence Department will not be publishing a public 2007-2017 Defence Capability Plan. The next public Defence Capability Plan likely to be released will be the 2008-2018 edition.
Defence Materiel Organisation Chief Executive Officer, Dr Stephen Gumley; Minister for Defence, the Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson; and Chief Capability Development Executive, Lieutenant General David Hurley launch the 2006 to 2016 Defence Capability Plan at the Defence + Industry Conference 2006 in Canberra.
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