Strategic objectives

The paper outlines three "Strategic Defence Interests" as fundamentals for further planning:^[5]

1. A "secure, resilient Australia" – the capability to "deter, deny and defeat" an attack on Australian territory by a foreign military power. A key part of this objective is Australia's military alliance with the United States.
2. A "secure nearer region" – including security partnerships with the governments and militaries of Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and other Pacific island nations.
3. A "stable Indo-Pacific region and rules based global order" – primarily, addressing rising tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, including the increased military power of the People's Republic of China.

Acquisitions

The paper sets out a number of specific intended purchases of materiel and weaponry over the following 20 years, though some had been announced prior to the release of the paper. These include:^[6]

• 12 new submarines, described as "regionally superior"^[7] by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, to replace the Collins class submarines
• 8 Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, and a further 7 aircraft of similar design
• 12 surface vessels, including 3 Hobart-class destroyers and 9 frigates of a new design
• 12 "offshore patrol vessels" to replace the Armidale-class patrol boats
• 7 MQ-4C Triton surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles
• 72 F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters
• A new ground-based radar system
• 1,100 Hawkei infantry mobility vehicles, and later a replacement for the Bushmaster IMV
• A new rocket artillery system with a range of up to 300 kilometres (190 mi)
• 2 additional KC-30A air-to-air refuelling aircraft
• 3 CH-47 Chinook helicopters
• 2 new replenishment vessels