Australia has been concerned about China’s military buildup in the Pacific Ocean for a long time. In an aggressive manoeuvre last year, Chinese fighter jets also ‘chaffed’ Australian aircraft. On the middle of this, Australia has invested $1 billion in cutting-edge subsurface sea mines in an effort to dissuade China and limit its military might.
The Department of Defence confirmed the forthcoming purchase and informed The Sydney Morning Herald that it is ‘accelerating the purchase of intelligent sea mines, which will aid in protecting Australia’s maritime approaches and securing sea lines of communication.’
‘A modern sea mining capability is a significant deterrent to potential aggressors,’ it added. The sea mines are equipped to spot the difference between military targets and other ships and can also be operated remotely to give away passage to friendly ships.
The acquisition cost for the sea mines is anticipated to be in the range of $500 million to $1 billion, according to the sources quoted by the media outlet. Two of Europe’s leading sea mine manufacturers are Italy and Spain.
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