One of the co-authors of Labor's Defence Strategic Review has sharply criticised Beijing's growing military activity in the South China Sea, accusing the emerging superpower of undermining Australia's national interest.
Just weeks after the release of the DSR, former defence chief Sir Angus Houston has also expressed concern about the lack of lethality with the Royal Australian Navy's surface fleet and blasted the slow progress in producing missiles locally.
Appearing at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Sir Angus has highlighted the gradual fortification of island and reefs in the strategic waterways of the South China Sea.
"That contravenes the global rules-based order and from an Australian point of view certainly undermines our national interest — the South China Sea is incredibly important to us."
"There's always the potential for some form of misunderstanding or miscalculation which could result in some sort of serious incident, or even worse, some form of conflict," he added.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the government published a declassified version of the DSR, the retired air chief marshal warned Australia's defence strategy through half a century of regional peace now "just doesn't cut it" and had to be transformed.
Sir Angus repeated his warnings that Australia was now facing "the worst strategic circumstances in my lifetime" – including China's "incredible build-up of military power" with "no transparency, no assurance, no explanation".
Australia's naval ships are not lethal enough
The Albanese government's response to the DSR last month included the surprise announcement of another "short, sharp" review of the Royal Australian Navy's surface fleet, which will be headed by a retired US Admiral.
The fresh analysis will examine plans to construct up to nine Hunter-class frigates, a project which has come under recent stinging criticism from the auditor general.
"We were concerned about the cost of the program, we were concerned about the associated schedule and the risks," Sir Angus told an audience at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
"At this stage, the first vessel off the line that's under production at the moment would arrive in the early 2030s. We think we need more lethality before we get to that point."
He suggested Australia is likely to have its first American imported Virginia-class submarine before the first Adelaide built Hunter-class frigate is completed, which is now due to be delivered in 2033.
The former defence chief was scathing of the lack of action on the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordinance Enterprise, which was first announced in 2021 to produced locally made missiles.
