Australia Wants Equity in Defense Collaboration (Feb. 3)
Successful international collaboration has the potential to save enormous resources for the countries involved and to increase markedly their capacity for interoperability, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Senator Eric Abetz, said at the Pacific 2000 International Maritime Exhibition in Sydney today (3/2).
"However, there must be honesty and a commitment to making it work by both parties for both parties," Senator Abetz told delegates at the US-Australian Conference at Darling Harbour.
Senator Abetz said Australian Government initiatives flowing from the 1998 Defence and Industry Strategic Policy, including a Capability Development Advisory Forum (CDAF) and Defence Exporters Council (DEC), had positioned the country's defence manufacturers well for international collaboration on defence production.
Senator Abetz cited the Nulka active missile decoy system - which offers exceptional protection against current generation anti-ship missiles - as an excellent example of collaborative success between Australia and the United States.
Senator Abetz said essential steps towards identification of further potential collaborative activities were:
*Early identification of areas of potential for international collaboration; * Initial consideration and development following identification; * The appropriate international forums to raise and develop the concept further; * The willingness of both countries to enter into a meaningful and equitable arrangement; and * The vision to maximise the return to both parties in terms of enhanced capabilities and commercial potential.
Senator Abetz said that initiatives via the Defence/industry CDAF and DEC would assist early identification of areas that would lend themselves to some form of international collaborative activity. "And I remind you all that collaboration can take place at the system, sub-system and component levels," Senator Abetz said.
The Parliamentary Secretary also called for equity in international partnering arrangements.
"On one hand we have Australia, with its current annual defence procurement budget of about $2.8 billion, amongst the top 10 defence importers in the world and one of the top three importers in the region," Senator Abetz said.
"However the US - the largest defence exporter in the world - imports from Australia only a fraction of the value of what it exports to Australia.
"The point needs to be made very clearly that Australia is not a defence market just to be sold into. The countries that grasp this fact the fastest are more likely to be welcomed in all levels of bilateral commercial defence activity."
Senator Abetz said Australia was well placed to enter into international collaborative agreements having highly skilled defence companies, a highly professional Defence department and a committed and supportive Government.
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Parliamentary Secretary Calls For Equity In International Defence Partnering Arrangements
