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The federal Coalition has pledged $3 billion to acquire 28 additional F-35 fighter jets, expanding Australia’s fleet to 100 if elected. However, the opposition has not specified how it plans to fund the purchase, raising concerns among experts and government officials.
The Albanese government had previously delayed the acquisition of more F-35s, instead prioritizing funding for the AUKUS alliance, long-range strike capabilities, targeting systems, and autonomous technology.
Jennifer Parker, an expert at the Australian National University’s National Security College, acknowledged the benefits of another squadron but argued it should not be the Australian Defence Force’s main focus.
“We need to step away from flashy announcements about fighter jets and warships and focus on urgent Defence priorities,” Parker said on Sunday. She also questioned whether Australia could secure a place in the F-35 production line within the promised five-year timeframe.
“There are more pressing priorities over the next five years, including space-based communications, integrated air missile defence, and replenishment for the navy,” she added.
Opposition defence spokesperson Andrew Hastie defended the plan, stating that Labor had cut, delayed, or reprioritized more than $80 billion in defence spending. He described the F-35 pledge as a “downpayment” on increased military funding.
“AUKUS is a multigenerational commitment, and if we don’t account for its costs, other defence capabilities will suffer,” Hastie told Sky News.
The Labor government has committed an additional $50.3 billion to Defence over the next decade, even after cutting $3 billion from the F-35 program. Treasurer Jim Chalmers challenged the opposition to clarify how it would fund the extra jets.
“I’ve seen the headlines, but not the details,” Chalmers said. “This is the same opposition leader [Peter Dutton] who hasn’t supported the $50 billion investment we’ve responsibly allocated for Defence. I don’t think they’ve considered the full costs beyond just the planes.”
Opposition home affairs spokesperson James Paterson declined to reveal whether the $3 billion would be new funding or redirected from elsewhere in the Defence budget.
“This is just the first commitment, and there will be more to come,” Paterson told ABC’s Insiders. “We will outline all our costings during the campaign, as is standard practice.”
With national security and defence spending expected to be key election issues, the Coalition’s proposal is set to spark further debate on how best to allocate military resources.
Gill Bikram Singh