Publication alert | Lessons from Ukraine and Gaza make the case for missile defence for Australia, according to new report
Ahead of Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy, a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney argues for more attention and funding for integrated air and missile defence capabilities (IAMD).
In Protecting the homeland: Accelerating ground-based air and missile defence for Australia USSC Senior Adviser for Defence Strategy Prof. Peter Dean makes the case for more investment by the Australian Government in IAMD in its upcoming National Defence Strategy.
“Integrated air and missile defence capabilities are too important to ignore as PRC and North Korean missile inventories grow in size and range. In this endeavour Australia will have close partners in the United States and Japan,” CEO Dr Michael Green noted. “Submarines must be paired with a robust air missile defence system to meet Australia’s defence needs.”
Recent steps by the Albanese government — including a Joint Statement of Intent with the United States and the opening of a new joint office to enhance Australia-US bilateral cooperation on GWEO — lay a strong foundation for increased government investment in integrated air and missile defence for Australia.
The report analyses lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East to inform how Australia should view missile defence, and charts a pathway for Australia to bolster its ground-based air and missile defence capabilities.
“Estimates of Ukraine’s ability to intercept Russian missiles rose from 30% to 90% with the introduction of modern Western air-defence systems,” Prof. Dean said, “Any defence strategy for Australia should follow a similar approach to drastically increase our missile defence capabilities.”
Increasing funding and reforming IAMD governance to support integration could significantly expand the capability of the Australian Defence Force, the report argues. It also points to Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) enterprise as a fertile opportunity to pursue rapid acceleration.
Protecting the homeland: Accelerating ground-based air and missile defence for Australia is now available for download.