Billions to upgrade Australian special forces

The government has announced a major new funding package for the Australian Army’s special forces.

FILE PHOTO (May 2019): Australian Army commandos in counter-terrorism training, Sydney. Photo by Corporal Sebastian Beurich.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced that the government had approved the first stage of Project Greyfin, which will provide the first $500 million of a $3 billion planned investment over 20 years.

“Australia’s Special Forces will be better equipped to keep Australians safe thanks to a $3 billion investment in cutting-edge equipment,” Mr Morrison said.

“This funding will ensure our Special Forces can better respond to threats, including that of terrorism.

“I’ve always said keeping Australians safe is my government’s number one priority. That’s why we’re ensuring the men and women in our special forces have the equipment and training they need to succeed in their operations.

“Australian special forces undertake complex, highly demanding operations in high-threat environments.

“Global threats will continue to evolve in ways which threaten Australia’s interests.

“This funding will ensure our special forces have cutting-edge capabilities to stay ahead of those who might threaten Australia’s interests.”

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said Project Greyfin would ensure our special forces have the best body armour; weapons; diving, parachuting, roping and climbing systems; medical search and rescue; communications; human performance training and support; and everything else they needed to help ensure Australia’s security.

“Our special forces, now more than ever, need to be ready and able to deploy on operations anywhere in the world, at short notice, and in very uncertain conditions.

“This first stage of funding enables our special forces to engage with intelligence, science and technology, and innovation organisations to ensure future threats and opportunities are assessed, to make sure we are delivering them the capability they need in the future.”

Project Greyfin is expected to present significant opportunities for Australian defence industries small and large.

Prime Minister Morrison said this commitment continued to pursue the special-operations capability enhancements outlined in the Defence White Paper 2016.

“The government is investing more than $200 billion in Australia’s defence capability over the next decade – the nation’s biggest peacetime investment in Defence.

“By 2020-21, we will have restored investment in Defence to 2 per cent of GDP.”

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