After the military aggression carried out by China, Australia and Japan continued to increase their defensive power. The two countries have rearranged their military strategies to build greater strength and strengthen relations with friendly countries.
Reportedly, Australia and Japan have signed a new pact to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense and security, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Dec. 6.
According to the Eurasian Times, Morrison discussed the agreement signed with Japan.
“Prime Minister, today we demonstrated the strength of our bonds as we signed our Mutual Access Agreement, the first of its kind for Japan.
The RAA [Reciprocal Access Agreement,] is a landmark agreement that opens a new chapter for advanced defense and security cooperation, in a complex and rapidly changing world, something you and I both understand very well,” Morrison told Prime Japanese Minister, Fumio Kishida during a virtual meeting.
Morrison also said the agreement would increase engagement, interoperability and more complex cooperation between Australian and Japanese forces.
It is known, Australia and Japan operate the F-35 stealth fighter jet, a fifth-generation US-made aircraft. In fact, Japan is already in the process of acquiring 42 F-35As.
In December 2018, the Japanese government approved an increase in orders for 147 aircraft, including 42 F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft. This makes Japan one of the largest F-35 operators outside the US.
In addition, Japan is also upgrading its F-15 Eagle fleet which will complement the F-35 fleet in the near future.
On the other hand, Australia is replacing the F/A-18A/B Hornet with 72 F-35A fighters. Forty of them have already arrived, with the rest arriving by the end of 2023.
According to the Eurasian Times, the combined strength of the Australian and Japanese F-35s will reach 219.
China's current fleet of just 150 J-20 fifth-generation stealth aircraft doesn't have as much air power as Japan and Australia.
Judging from the strength of its fighter jets, China lost badly to Japan and Australia.
Japan and Australia, however, did not stop there and were actively working to strengthen the overall capabilities of their forces.
Australia recently signed an estimated $1 billion defense deal with South Korea to procure 30 self-propelled howitzers, 15 armored ammunition supply vehicles and weapons-seeking radar.
Japan is also reportedly looking to upgrade and expand its cruise missile capabilities to reach objects more than 1,000 kilometers away.
