Defence
13 Dec 2021
I would like to offer first, a warm welcome the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-In and the First Lady Kim Jung-Sook, to Australia. I welcome the stronger diplomatic and defence ties that we our two great nations are building.
This visit signals the formalising of a one-billion-dollar deal for the building of 30 self-propelled howitzers and 15 armoured ammunition resupply vehicles for the army in Geelong by South Korean company Hanwha under the Land 8116 project.
The importance of this deal cannot be overstated. With this announcement our sovereign manufacturing capabilities will be better placed and more secure in an increasingly complex strategic environment. It also means we have a more resilient defence supply chain and most importantly this technology will protect our troops and allow them to fight with greatly increased safety on the battlefield.
Also being formalised in this visit is the new low and zero-emissions technology partnership between South Korea and Australia, opening future possibilities for green hydrogen deals between our nations. This is an important step in working with our friends and allies around to world in creating low emissions economies.
“Towed artillery guns are an out-dated form of military capability. These new protected mobile fires are self-propelled, similar to a tank, which will allow our troops to move quicker on the battlefield. This mean that they can arrive at a target, shoot and move on before return fire puts them in harm’s way. This artillery can fire on targets with great accuracy either stationery or on the move and hit targets up to 50 km away depending on the ammunition. This technology increases our offensive capabilities while also keeping our troops safe,” said the Senator
“I am very pleased that there will be a new defence manufacturing base in Victoria” said Senator David Van, “it is an honour to work with both Hanwha and the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Jeong-sik Kang, regarding this project and hopefully more projects in the future.”
“This is an important step to increasing our defense capabilities and ensures we maintain one of the most capable militaries in the region”
“This is a great announcement for Victoria, not only will this project create a minimum of 300 jobs for the Geelong region but will continue to create further opportunities well into the 2040.”
“It is a shame that the Victorian Labor Government were so resistant to come to the table to work with Hanwha to create jobs and growth for Victoria”
“This announcement signifies the Morrison Governments commitment to working with our friends and partners around the globe to address challenges that affect the region”
ENDS
