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| Anzac Defence Review | |
|---|---|
| Name | Anzac Defence Review |
| Type | Strategic defence review |
| Country | Australia and New Zealand |
| Period | 21st century |
| Established | 2010s–2020s |
| Focus | Defence posture, capability development, force interoperability |
Anzac Defence Review The Anzac Defence Review was a bilateral strategic assessment conducted to align Australia and New Zealand defence planning, capability development, and interoperability across regional security frameworks. It examined force posture, procurement, joint exercises, and alliance coordination in the context of Indo-Pacific security, Antarctica operations, and maritime chokepoints. The review informed bilateral initiatives with links to wider multilateral architectures and defence industry collaborations.
The review originated amid shifts in regional security dynamics evident after events such as the 2008 South Ossetia war, the 2014 Crimean crisis, and the rise of the People's Republic of China's maritime strategy, prompting comparisons to earlier reviews like the 2016 Defence White Paper (Australia) and the Defence Capability Plan (New Zealand). Drivers included evolving threats to the Coral Sea, the Tasman Sea, and supply lines through the South China Sea and Strait of Malacca, and obligations under treaties such as the ANZUS Treaty and the Wellington Declaration. Historical precedents referenced ranged from the Gallipoli campaign and the legacy of the First World War to interoperability lessons from the Korean War and the Afghanistan conflict (2001–2021).
The review scoped maritime, air, land, cyber, and space dimensions, drawing on cooperation frameworks like the Five Eyes intelligence partnership, SEATO-era legacies, and exercises including Talisman Sabre and RIMPAC. Objectives included harmonising procurement cycles influenced by programs such as the Hobart-class destroyer acquisition, aligning logistics chains similar to the AUKUS conversations, and enhancing specialized capabilities for Antarctic Treaty System operations. It sought to integrate lessons from operations like Operation Sovereign Borders and UN peacekeeping deployments, and to synchronize training institutions akin to the Royal Military College, Duntroon and the Officer Cadet School, New Zealand.
Findings highlighted capability gaps in anti-submarine warfare demonstrated in analyses of the South China Sea skirmishes and contingency planning around the Lombok Strait. Assessments noted shortfalls in amphibious lift comparable to lessons from the Battle of Timor (1942), limited organic sustainment for extended maritime patrols exemplified by the P-8 Poseidon deployments, and cyber vulnerabilities revealed by incidents similar to the 2016 Australian cyber intrusions. The review assessed force readiness against scenarios such as humanitarian responses to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, and counter-illicit trafficking operations through corridors frequented during the Somali piracy epidemic. It also evaluated industrial bases in relation to shipbuilding programs like the Air Warfare Destroyer project and defence exports comparable to Rheinmetall contracts.
Recommended reforms included increased investment in maritime patrol assets motivated by patrol patterns observed in Operation Gateway and enhanced anti-submarine capabilities analogous to ASW task groups used during the Cold War. Proposals urged joint procurement frameworks similar to the F-35 Lightning II cooperation, pooled logistics modeled on NATO sustainment arrangements, and expanded joint training mirroring Combined Task Force constructs. Institutional reforms suggested federated command arrangements taking cues from Joint Task Force 633 lessons, and legislative adjustments to align procurement law with precedents such as the Defence Procurement Manual (UK). Emphasis was placed on accelerating shipbuilding in yards like those involved in the Garden Island Dockyard and supporting sovereign industrial capacity paralleling initiatives seen in Japan Self-Defense Forces modernization.
Implementation frameworks proposed a bilateral secretariat with representation comparable to mechanisms used by the Quad and ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting tracks, and governance boards drawing membership from departments modeled on structures such as the US Pacific Command (PACOM) liaison cells. Timelines recommended phased capability deliveries aligned to budgeting cycles similar to the Australian Defence Force White Paper timelines and the New Zealand Defence Force planning horizons. Oversight mechanisms included parliamentary review analogues to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and audit regimes inspired by agencies like the Australian National Audit Office. Risk management referenced contingency plans akin to those maintained for crises like the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster response.
Strategic implications extended to alliance postures within the Indo-Pacific and affected relationships with regional actors including the Pacific Islands Forum, ASEAN, and partners like the United States and United Kingdom. Defence posture adjustments would influence power projection in areas such as the Coral Triangle and shape deterrence calculus in proximity to the Maritime Silk Road. The review's emphasis on interoperability affected engagement in multilateral operations under mandates from the United Nations Security Council and contributed to debates over capability balancing exemplified by historical tensions akin to the Cold War naval contests.
Reactions ranged from support by defence establishments and industry stakeholders resembling endorsements during the 2015 Defence Industry Policy Statement to criticism by civil society groups invoking precedents from anti-nuclear protests and debates around sovereignty seen in responses to the AUKUS pact. Controversies focused on procurement choices echoing disputes over programs like the Hindustan-class submarine controversies, budgetary trade-offs similar to those debated during the 2009 Defence Budget cuts, and civil-military balance questions raised in public inquiries such as the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides-style reviews. Regional partners and parliamentary committees staged inquiries and consultations comparable to those held after major strategic documents like the 2016 Defence White Paper (Australia).
Category:Defence reviews