Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

2015 marks an important milestone for our Defence Force capability. After so many years of inaction, reduced investment and a lack of security vision for Australia, we now have a sense of appropriate investment and the ability to protect our people while also participating on the international defence stage. Whilst I am always most impressed by the work, training and personnel of HMAS Albatross and HMAS Creswell, it is never good to gloss over the other significant Defence developments. Knowing that the process of defence procurement is a complicated and multi-layered one, it is great to acknowledge that our six new Wedgetail aircraft have the logistics, management plans and sustainment chains, facilities and training protocols all in place. The Boeing E7A Wedgetail is an airborne early control and warning aircraft, and provides our nation with one of the most advanced air battleship capabilities in the world.

The Howard government made the decision to commence the Wedgetail program, known as AIR 5077 Phase 3, in 2000. This a heavily modified Boeing 737-700 with an advanced multi-role electronically scanned array radar and 10 mission crew consoles. It is probably one of the most advanced pieces of technology for the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF base in Williamtown, Newcastle, is the home of these aircraft. Australia's six E7As are capable of communicating with aircraft and providing air control from the sky. They can cover four million square kilometres during a single 10-hour mission while, at the same time, being in control of the tactical battle space, providing direction for other fighter aircraft, surface combatants and land-based elements, and supporting aircraft such as tankers and intelligence platforms.

The Wedgetail significantly multiplies the effectiveness of our existing Navy, Army and Air Force, and it will help Australia maintain a capability edge well into the future. To date, they have completed more than 120 sorties with our coalition partners over Iraq, flying more than 1,500 hours. It is highly reliable and effective in all of its operations. So far, it has also participated in defence exercises Bersama Lima, Cope North, Red Flag and Pitch Black. It is currently deployed in Operation OKRA supporting the coalition forces in their fight against Daesh. The aircraft has already participated in other landmark events—actually, I should say airspace events. In fact, one Australian Wedgetail crew made Boeing 737 history when they conducted 16 hour and 18 minute command control mission over Iraq, requiring two air-to-air refuels. It has also been involved in the search for the downed plane, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, in the southern Indian Ocean, safely controlling and directing air traffic to the search areas.

The highly specialised crew of the Wedgetail aircraft, and the Royal Australian Air Force more generally, are to be commended on the work they are doing to enhance this unique capability, providing support to coalition forces in the Middle East as a main event. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Defence Force men and women who have been involved in those operations, demonstrating the immense professionalism and dedication of our very talented air crew, ground crew, supply crew and all those involved in the very effective running of these fighting machines.

It is vitally important not just to acknowledge the outstanding work of our Defence Force personnel in words, but to also acknowledge them by continuing to invest in their equipment, training and other financial needs. We are putting $7.2 billion into our defence equipment—nearly double the amount spent in the last disastrous 2012-13 budget, which took us down to a lousy 1938 expenditure level for defence. Our defence personnel need to know that we have confidence in them, that we will invest in them and we will look after them. We are committed to making decisions to modernise our Air Force—as well as many other aspects of the Navy, because that is my local base—and we are looking at 58 Joint Strike Fighters. This year, the government is also delivering new and improved personal protective equipment for our soldiers, including new generation body armour—how welcome that will be! There will be more to announce later this year once the 2015 defence white paper is handed down. This white paper will reflect the government's strategic national security fiscal and border policy priorities, outlining our total commitment to ensuring a safe and secure Australia through increased funding for our vital Defence Force.

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