Prime Minister Julia Gillard disclosed today the Defence White Paper of 2013, confirming a $1.5 billion budget in purchasing war aircraft in the span of four years. The 12 Growler aircraft would join Australia's fleet to compensate the delay of purchase of the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) in 2011. Ms. Gillard declared that Australia would be "the only country outside of the US to have access to the Growler planes." Growler planes are electronic war craft version of the super hornet.

To compensate to the two-year delay on the JSF program, MS. Gillard announced that Australia is projected to own three of the JSF fleet until 2020, "Defence remains committed to the JSF program and anticipate its delivery."

The prime minister expounded that the white paper released on Friday, May 3, "reaffirms the central and enduring importance of our alliance relationship with the United States. It also underscores the deeper Defence partnerships in region, including with China."

Ms. Gillard proclaimed that the country "...welcomes China's rise. We seek to have a constructive and co-operative relationship with China. We also recognise that China's rise and military organisation is pivotal to our region." And that Australia's posture is one of continuity.

Ms. Gillard, alongside Defence Minister Stephen Smith, assured that a budget cut on the overall Defence budget will not happen unlike that of last year's flush-out of $5.5 billion from the budget, "Defence spending will rise in absolute terms. Once again we have allocated more than $100 billion to defence over the forward estimates period."

In addition to the purchase of F-35, Ms. Gillard announced that submarine options are on "off-the-shelf" and would be postponed in lieu of envisioning an "evolved Collins class or entirely new design."

"Decisions about Defence, however, cannot be made in isolation of our fiscal position. The government would seek to increase spending to 2 per cent of GDP when fiscal circumstances allow."

The prime minister explained though that the government is still steadfast in its plan of manufacturing 12 sophisticated new submarines in South Australia, because of the requirement for comprehensive design analysis, "any further work on buying an existing or modified overseas model was off the table because it was unlikely to meet Australian requirements." Ms. Gillard put emphasis on the fact that the government will still work out two options - an all-new design or an evolution of the Collins-class submarines.

KEY POINTS OF THE 2013 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER (from the federal government)

Main technology decisions:

Australia remains committed to buying the advanced Lockheed martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter;

Australia to buy an additional 12 Boeing Super Hornets, configured in the electronic warfare Growler version, giving the RAAF a total of 36;

Government committed to buying 12 new submarines, based on an evolved version of the Collins class. Rules out buying an existing model from a European manufacturer;

Navy supply ships HMAS Sirius and HMAS Success will be replaced;

Government to ramp up plans to replace the navy's Armidale-class patrol boats;

No plans for a fourth air warfare destroyer.

Overall thrust of the White Paper:

More conciliatory to China than the 2009 White Paper;

Welcomes China's rise and the modernization of its military as a legitimate outcome of its growth;

Unlike the 2009 White Paper, new document makes no commitment to a particular level of defence funding;

Government committed to fiscal discipline and wants a defence budget that meets operational requirements