Coalition pledges $3bn to bolster F-35 fleet amid ‘dangerous strategice circumstances’

The Coalition has pledged $3bn toward acquiring another 28 F-35A Lightning IIs if it wins the upcoming federal election.

The vow would push Australia’s fleet of F-35s to 100 and reverse Labor’s decision not to go ahead with a fourth squadron of the joint strike fighters.

Spruiking the announcement on Sunday, opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said Australia was facing “dangerous strategic circumstances”.

“Morale is at an all time low,” the veteran told Sky News.

“We have a recruiting crisis, we have a retention crisis, we have a readiness crisis.

“And this is a signal from Peter Dutton and the coalition that we care about defence.

“We want a strong country, and given today’s dangerous strategic circumstances, we are investing in it so that we can secure the Australian people and our interests.”

Mr Hastie did not clarify whether the $3bn would cover everything but said the $3bn would “secure that fourth squadron”.

He also held back revealing where the funds would come from, saying the Coalition would “make all that clear when we release our costings prior to the election”.

Earlier, Treasurer Jim Chalmers commented on the opposition’s defence pitch.

He said the F-35s were “a very important piece of kit” but called on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to reveal where the Coalition planned on pulling the cash from.

“This is the same guy who hasn’t signed up to the $50bn in extra investment that we have found in a responsible budget to invest in our capability in defence,” he told Sky News.

“So he should tell us where this $3bn is coming from.

“He hasn’t been able to do that. I don’t think he’s thought through what it means for the personnel part of the story, the broader costs of this, beyond the planes themselves.”

He noted the Albanese government had delivered the 72 F-35s.

It did not proceed with the fourth squadron because the fleet of F/A-18F Super Hornets were going to be in service longer than planned.

Labor has boosted defence spending by about 20 per cent since the 2023 fiscal year.

It has been pumping tens of billions into broadening Australia’s strike and defence capabilities, including more investment in AUKUS.

Among the government’s defence policies is the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance, which aims to massively expand the country’s missile arsenal and build up the domestic defence manufacturing base against a backdrop of a major war forecast by 2034.