The federal government has bypassed a homegrown defence solution in favour of an additional $2.3 billion investment in American-made weaponry.
Under Project 8113, the Albanese government confirmed Tuesday that the Australian Army will double its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) capacity, establishing a second long-range fires regiment in South Australia.
The decision effectively sidelines the "StrikeMaster," a cheaper domestic alternative featuring Norwegian missiles mounted on Australian Bushmaster vehicles.
Critics have raised concerns that relying on U.S. technology could expose Australia to export restrictions as the Pentagon prioritizes the ongoing conflict in Iran.
However, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy dismissed these fears, emphasizing that the deal fosters local manufacturing.
Australia has already begun test-firing domestically assembled rockets and plans to produce PrSM components locally through a cooperative program with Washington.
Defence Minister Richard Marles described the purchase as a "decisive investment" aligned with the National Defence Strategy.
While the truck-mounted HIMARS currently strikes targets up to 500 km away, the evolving PrSM platform is expected to exceed ranges of 1,000 km, significantly bolstering Australia’s ability to project power and secure its borders from a distance.