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France and Australia look to boost military ties [brisbanetimes.com.au]:

By Anthony Galloway [brisbanetimes.com.au] September 10, 2021 — 5.00amSaveLog in, register [myfairfax.com.au] or subscribe [brisbanetimes.com.au] to save articles for later.Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size

French warships and troops would be given guaranteed access to Australian naval bases and military sites under a proposal being discussed by both countries, as the federal government moves to lock in the next stage of its troubled $90 billion future submarine program next week.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal Australia and France have begun negotiations to significantly upgrade military co-operation, which would boost inter-operability between their forces.

Australia and France currently have a Status of Forces Agreement – which sets out how the forces of each country should operate together – but are exploring options to provide greater access to each other’s militaries. The talks could eventually pave the way for French naval ships to have a permanent presence at Australian naval bases or for troops to rotate through Australian training bases.

While France has been active in the region for decades with a focus on its island territories such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia, the country has been looking to ramp up its diplomatic and military presence in the Indo-Pacific [brisbanetimes.com.au] amid increased Chinese assertiveness.

While France has been active in the region for decades with a focus on its island territories such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia, the country has been looking to ramp up its diplomatic and military presence in the Indo-Pacific [brisbanetimes.com.au] amid increased Chinese assertiveness.

The negotiations could elevate France’s defence relationship with Australia to second only behind the United States, which has a rotational force of about 2500 Marines deployed in Darwin.

Australia is also set to formally agree with the French company building the government’s 12 new attack-class submarines on its plan for the next 2½ years of the program, allowing for the pressure hull for the first boat to be built as early as 2024.

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France’s Naval Group originally submitted plans for the next phase of the project earlier this year but it was knocked back by the government, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Peter Dutton setting a September deadline for a new agreement.

Multiple senior sources within the government, who were not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed the agreement was set to be formally locked in by the end of the next week.

French warships and troops would be given guaranteed access to Australian naval bases and military sites under a proposal being discussed by both countries, as the federal government moves to lock in the next stage of its troubled $90 billion future submarine program next week.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal Australia and France have begun negotiations to significantly upgrade military co-operation, which would boost inter-operability between their forces.

Australia and France currently have a Status of Forces Agreement – which sets out how the forces of each country should operate together – but are exploring options to provide greater access to each other’s militaries. The talks could eventually pave the way for French naval ships to have a permanent presence at Australian naval bases or for troops to rotate through Australian training bases.

While France has been active in the region for decades with a focus on its island territories such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia, the country has been looking to ramp up its diplomatic and military presence in the Indo-Pacific [brisbanetimes.com.au] amid increased Chinese assertiveness.

While France has been active in the region for decades with a focus on its island territories such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia, the country has been looking to ramp up its diplomatic and military presence in the Indo-Pacific [brisbanetimes.com.au] amid increased Chinese assertiveness.

The negotiations could elevate France’s defence relationship with Australia to second only behind the United States, which has a rotational force of about 2500 Marines deployed in Darwin.

Australia is also set to formally agree with the French company building the government’s 12 new attack-class submarines on its plan for the next 2½ years of the program, allowing for the pressure hull for the first boat to be built as early as 2024.

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France’s Naval Group originally submitted plans for the next phase of the project earlier this year but it was knocked back by the government, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Defence Minister Peter Dutton setting a September deadline for a new agreement.

Multiple senior sources within the government, who were not authorised to speak publicly, confirmed the agreement was set to be formally locked in by the end of the next week.

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Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said he hoped the government and Naval Group had agreed to speed up the delivery of the submarines, which are being built in Adelaide.

“The other thing I would like to see is a stronger government and Defence intention to explain and defend the program,” Mr Jennings said. “The reality is the future submarine has become friendless because no one wants to defend it.”

Australia commissioned the new submarine fleet in 2016 [smh.com.au] amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific as China began militarising the South China Sea. [smh.com.au] But the program has been plagued by cost blowouts, schedule slippages and disagreements over commitments to use local contractors [smh.com.au].

This masthead revealed last year Defence officials knew the submarines would cost almost $80 billion as early as 2015 [smh.com.au] – before Naval Group was chosen – despite publicly stating at the time the estimated price tag was $50 billion. The estimated cost has since increased to about $90 billion.

This masthead revealed last year Defence officials knew the submarines would cost almost $80 billion as early as 2015 [smh.com.au] – before Naval Group was chosen – despite publicly stating at the time the estimated price tag was $50 billion. The estimated cost has since increased to about $90 billion.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott originally promised the first submarine would be operational in the mid-2020s. But it is now estimated it won’t be in the water until 2035 even though Defence officials warned last year the country no longer had a 10-year window to defend itself from an attack. [smh.com.au]

After meeting with their French counterparts last month, Mr Dutton and Foreign Minister Marise Payne agreed in a joint communiqué to begin negotiations on “enhancing and diversifying France’s military co-operation with Australia, in support of France’s force posture in the region”.

France and Australia’s relations in the region haven’t always been smooth, with Canberra uneasy about French nuclear testing in the 1990s and the bombing of Greenpeace boat Rainbow Warrior in 1985. But France has been looking to boost its alliances in the region in recent years, and in a speech at the Garden Island military base in Sydney in 2018, President Emmanuel Macron described his country as an “Indo-Pacific power” for the first time.

Mr Jennings said there was room for France to project more of a military presence throughout the Indo-Pacific and it would be ideal to do this from Australia.

“That could lead to a bigger and regular French military presence in Australia,” he said.

“The possibility of a French naval ship being based at HMAS Stirling [in Western Australia] or even in Sydney Harbour would be a powerful way for France to demonstrate its interests in Indo-Pacific security. And if they were to do that, there is no country better than Australia to host that presence.”

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French fighter aircraft will next year participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s “Pitch Black” exercises, while France will for the first time in 2023 join the Talisman Sabre naval exercises being held off the Queensland coast with the US and Australia.

A spokesperson for the French embassy in Canberra said the region was seeing “profound strategic changes and France “as a fully fledged Indo‑Pacific country, seeks to maintain an area that is open and inclusive, free of all forms of coercion and founded on multilateralism and the respect of international law”.

“In this context, Australia being a major partner of France in the Indo-Pacific, we naturally look to enhance our bilateral defence relationship,” the spokesperson said. “In the coming years, the French Armed Forces will continue to look at developing their inter-operability with the Australian Defence Force in order to be able to jointly operate in the region and globally.”

There have been a number of visits by French troops to Australia this year. The Vendémiaire frigate made a port visit in Darwin and the French Foreign Legion is currently participating in joint exercises with Australian soldiers.

Canberra is also working with other European countries on boosting their military presence in the region. Australia and Germany in June signed an “enhanced strategic partnership” that committed to enhancing their “security and defence co-operation, including through training and exercises, in particular in the maritime domain and in partnership with countries in the region.”

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here [brisbanetimes.com.au].

SaveLog in, register [myfairfax.com.au] or subscribe [brisbanetimes.com.au] to save articles for later.License this article [copyright.com.au]

• Defence [brisbanetimes.com.au]
• Scott Morrison [brisbanetimes.com.au]
• Peter Dutton [brisbanetimes.com.au]
• Emmanuel Macron [brisbanetimes.com.au]

Anthony Galloway [brisbanetimes.com.au] is foreign affairs and national security correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via Twitter [twitter.com] or email [mailto].LoadingLoadingFrom our partners Advertisement

Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said he hoped the government and Naval Group had agreed to speed up the delivery of the submarines, which are being built in Adelaide.

“The other thing I would like to see is a stronger government and Defence intention to explain and defend the program,” Mr Jennings said. “The reality is the future submarine has become friendless because no one wants to defend it.”

Australia commissioned the new submarine fleet in 2016 [smh.com.au] amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific as China began militarising the South China Sea. [smh.com.au] But the program has been plagued by cost blowouts, schedule slippages and disagreements over commitments to use local contractors [smh.com.au].

This masthead revealed last year Defence officials knew the submarines would cost almost $80 billion as early as 2015 [smh.com.au] – before Naval Group was chosen – despite publicly stating at the time the estimated price tag was $50 billion. The estimated cost has since increased to about $90 billion.

This masthead revealed last year Defence officials knew the submarines would cost almost $80 billion as early as 2015 [smh.com.au] – before Naval Group was chosen – despite publicly stating at the time the estimated price tag was $50 billion. The estimated cost has since increased to about $90 billion.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott originally promised the first submarine would be operational in the mid-2020s. But it is now estimated it won’t be in the water until 2035 even though Defence officials warned last year the country no longer had a 10-year window to defend itself from an attack. [smh.com.au]

After meeting with their French counterparts last month, Mr Dutton and Foreign Minister Marise Payne agreed in a joint communiqué to begin negotiations on “enhancing and diversifying France’s military co-operation with Australia, in support of France’s force posture in the region”.

France and Australia’s relations in the region haven’t always been smooth, with Canberra uneasy about French nuclear testing in the 1990s and the bombing of Greenpeace boat Rainbow Warrior in 1985. But France has been looking to boost its alliances in the region in recent years, and in a speech at the Garden Island military base in Sydney in 2018, President Emmanuel Macron described his country as an “Indo-Pacific power” for the first time.

Mr Jennings said there was room for France to project more of a military presence throughout the Indo-Pacific and it would be ideal to do this from Australia.

“That could lead to a bigger and regular French military presence in Australia,” he said.

“The possibility of a French naval ship being based at HMAS Stirling [in Western Australia] or even in Sydney Harbour would be a powerful way for France to demonstrate its interests in Indo-Pacific security. And if they were to do that, there is no country better than Australia to host that presence.”

Loading

French fighter aircraft will next year participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s “Pitch Black” exercises, while France will for the first time in 2023 join the Talisman Sabre naval exercises being held off the Queensland coast with the US and Australia.

A spokesperson for the French embassy in Canberra said the region was seeing “profound strategic changes and France “as a fully fledged Indo‑Pacific country, seeks to maintain an area that is open and inclusive, free of all forms of coercion and founded on multilateralism and the respect of international law”.

“In this context, Australia being a major partner of France in the Indo-Pacific, we naturally look to enhance our bilateral defence relationship,” the spokesperson said. “In the coming years, the French Armed Forces will continue to look at developing their inter-operability with the Australian Defence Force in order to be able to jointly operate in the region and globally.”

There have been a number of visits by French troops to Australia this year. The Vendémiaire frigate made a port visit in Darwin and the French Foreign Legion is currently participating in joint exercises with Australian soldiers.

Canberra is also working with other European countries on boosting their military presence in the region. Australia and Germany in June signed an “enhanced strategic partnership” that committed to enhancing their “security and defence co-operation, including through training and exercises, in particular in the maritime domain and in partnership with countries in the region.”

The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here [brisbanetimes.com.au].

SaveLog in, register [myfairfax.com.au] or subscribe [brisbanetimes.com.au] to save articles for later.License this article [copyright.com.au]

• Defence [brisbanetimes.com.au]
• Scott Morrison [brisbanetimes.com.au]
• Peter Dutton [brisbanetimes.com.au]
• Emmanuel Macron [brisbanetimes.com.au]

Anthony Galloway [brisbanetimes.com.au] is foreign affairs and national security correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via Twitter [twitter.com] or email [mailto].LoadingLoadingFrom our partners Advertisement

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