00:00Australia plans to increase spending on drone technology by up to US$3.5 billion
00:06as it responds to changing warfare dynamics observed in the Middle East.
00:12In an interview with ABC Radio, Defence Minister Richard Miles said the growing use of low-cost
00:18mass-produced drones in conflicts involving Iran shapes this strategy.
00:25He said Australia would invest between US$8.4 and US$10.6 billion over the next decade
00:31in developing advanced autonomous defence technologies.
00:35Miles added that Australia required a full spectrum of drone capabilities
00:39due to its geography and the strategic challenges it faced across its surrounding regions.
00:46Australia, a key ally of the US, had been reshaping its defence posture
00:50to strengthen missile systems and improve its ability to deter threats from the north.
00:55The AUKUS partnership with the US and the UK also aimed to deliver
00:59nuclear-powered submarine technology to Australia within the next decade.
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