Australia Monday launched the biggest reorganization of its military in decades, against the backdrop of China's buildup of its military capabilities and tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, where Beijing's influence is growing.

Defense Secretary Richard Marlis revealed a strategic review calling for a sharp shift toward long-range deterrence, using missiles, submarines and electronic tools to keep adversaries at bay.

"Today, for the first time in 35 years, we are reformulating the Australian Defense Force's mission," Marless said.

The strategic review carried out by the Australian Ministry of Defense indicated that Beijing's military build-up is now the largest and most ambitious of any country since World War II.

The Australian Defense Minister said that the decades-old strategy to protect the territory "no longer satisfies what is required."

He added that in the face of China, which has become more powerful, Australia will focus on deterring enemies before they reach its borders, whether in the sea, air or cyberspace.

The review included that Australia "seeks to change the calculus so that no potential aggressor can ever say that the benefits of conflict outweigh the risks."

Speaking of the review and its Australian justification, Beijing said it hoped that "some countries will refrain from using China as an excuse to expand its military power or raise the baseless 'Chinese threat' theory."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing that China's military policy was "defensive in nature" and "posed no threat to any country."
Australia announced a major goal in its new strategy focused on developing nuclear-powered long-range stealth submarines.

This year will also see a short independent review of the Navy's fleet to ensure that warships can integrate with the capabilities offered by the new nuclear submarines.
Also, the Australian army will focus more on its capabilities to defend the country's coasts, especially in the vast northern regions.

In World War II, the northern Australian city of Darwin was bombed by the Japanese, but military strategists believed that they would receive ten years' warning of any imminent new attack.

Therefore, the review concluded, "The emergence of the 'missile age' in modern warfare, crystallized by the proliferation of long-range precision strike weapons, has drastically diminished Australia's geographic advantages."

As a result, the army will also be tasked with providing a "long-range offensive capability," while projects focusing on ground defense will be underway.

The plan to purchase 450 infantry fighting vehicles will be reduced to just 129.
A multibillion-dollar program to develop short-range artillery systems is likely to be canceled in order to obtain the Himars systems that Ukraine is currently coveting to fend off a Russian invasion.

While the review mentions "China" only nine times and never describes it as an adversary, there is no doubt that Beijing's massive military investment and military threats are a driving force behind the changes Canberra seeks to implement.

"This growth is occurring without transparency or reassurance to the Indo-Pacific region about China's strategic intentions," the review said, using another term for the Asia-Pacific region.

"China's assertion of sovereignty over the South China Sea threatens the international rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific in a way that adversely affects Australia's national interests," she added.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China's military spending hit a record $292 billion last year, the 28th consecutive year of spending increases.

This led to an arms race across the region, with South Korea, Japan and Australia increasing their defense investments.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute notes that military spending in Asia and Oceania has increased by 45 percent since 2013.