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Australia's key role in missile shield

Photo:Jamie Brown

By Brendan Nicholson

January 7, 2006

AUSTRALIA'S secret Jindalee radar network, capable of "seeing" over the horizon, is a key link in a

new anti-ballistic missile shield that will protect much of the globe.

The missile defence system, designed to protect America and its allies from missiles launched by

"rogue states", will integrate defensive missile systems on land and at sea with spy satellites and the

navy's new generation air warfare destroyers. The warships are still to be built and are scheduled to

be operating by 2013 to 2015.

US scientists who have examined the Australian-invented Jindalee system, which operates across

Australia's northern frontier, were impressed by its range and capability and confirmed that it could

detect a missile launch far away in Asia.

Officials from US aircraft and weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin told The Age the Australian

system, officially known as Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), would be a highly effective

part of the global missile defence shield being developed by the US.

It significantly increased the time available for a defence system to intercept missiles.

They would not give details of the radar's range but said Jindalee, with its giant aerials across the

Top End, would be part of an electronic network, including spy satellites and the yet-to-be built air

warfare destroyers, able to pick up the launch of a missile and, by tracking it, work out its target.

The ship or a land-based anti-missile system would then shoot the missile down.

On the face of it, the missile shield system is designed to protect the US and its allies from missiles

fired by "rogue states" such as North Korea.

But its opponents say the system will trigger an arms race by encouraging countries such as China

and Russia to build enough missiles to be sure of penetrating any defence system.
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In briefings in the US, Lockheed executives were enthusiastic about Jindalee's effectiveness.

While standard radar sends a signal along line of sight until it bounces off a target ship or aircraft,

JORN bounces signals off the ionosphere, which lies above the stratosphere and extends about 1000

kilometres above Earth.

The signal then bounces down onto its target. In that way it can apparently pick up even

sophisticated stealth bombers, which are virtually invisible to standard radar.

In July 2004 Australia agreed to co-operate with the US on missile defence and early last year

Lieutenant-General Henry Obering, the US Air Force officer overseeing development of the missile

defence system, visited Australia for talks with government and defence officials involved in the

Jindalee project.

US warships fitted with the Aegis missile control system have six times tracked and destroyed

missiles outside the Earth's atmosphere. The ship fires counter-missiles to intercept an incoming

missile. This has been compared to trying to shoot down a rifle bullet with another rifle bullet.

The immense heat generated by the missiles smashing into each other vapourises any chemical or

biological agent.

Lockheed will not reveal the range of the anti-ballistic missile system, but it is known to cover

hundreds of kilometres.

Australia will spend tens of billions of dollars over the next decade keeping up with a world of

sophisticated military technology that will see increasing numbers of countries developing long-range

missiles that can be tipped with nuclear, chemical or biological warheads.

Australia will buy three air warfare destroyers, to be equipped with the Aegis missile control system,

and up to 100 high-tech stealth jets to replace the RAAF's F/A-18 fighter-bomber and F-111 bomberfleets. The Government has not yet confirmed what it will spend on the Aegis system to go into the

destroyers but Lockheed is obviously keen for Australia to buy the version capable of knocking down

intercontinental missiles.

In this fast-evolving "networked" warfare, there will also be a major role for the new Boeing 737

Airborne Early Warning aircraft.

The multi-purpose jet that is likely to be bought by Australia is the Lockheed F-35 designated as a

joint strike fighter (JSF). Two years ago Australia paid $150 million towards the cost of developing

the JSF and the Government is considering spending $12 billion to $16 billion on the new generationfighter-bombers.

It will decide in 2008 whether to buy the aircraft, which were originally expected to be operational in

2012.

Lockheed officials said Australia was not likely to have its first combat squadron of 16 joint strike

fighters ready for action before 2014. That is four years after the RAAF's F-111 bombers are due to

be retired and two years after the first of its F/A-18 Hornet fighters are scheduled to be withdrawn

from service.


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Lockheed executive vice-president Tom Burbage also confirmed that Australia was the frontrunner to

set up a regional maintenance centre for the new fighter.

The original US plan was to produce 2457 fighters, most of which would be bought by the US Air

Force, US Navy and Marine Corps. The ultimate cost of the fighter will be clear only when the US

Government decides finally how many it wants. If the number is reduced the cost of each aircraft wil

rise. Indications are that the number will be cut back, but that will not be known until the US

Government completes its quadrennial defence review, due soon.

The cost could be pushed above the $45 million Australia originally anticipated paying for each

fighter.

Mr Burbage confirmed that the "fly-away cost" of each would be about $67 million.

Deputy Defence secretary Shane Carmody told a parliamentary inquiry recently if the US cut the

number of fighters it bought, the price of each would increase. There was a view within Defence that

that could force Australia to cut the number it bought from 100 to 50, he said.

Brendan Nicholson travelled to the US as a guest of Lockheed Martin.

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