Missile purchase to upset region

The Australian ^ | March 01, 2006 | Cameron Stewart

[Piefloater]

At $544,000 per missile, $350 million is going to buy a lot of long range cruise missiles even allowing for the inevitable other costs associated with this type of purchase. So is this provocative or just plain good planning?

[MNJohnnie]

I would think anyone with a brain would be smart enough not to mess with the Aussies but one never knows. As several people have said in the past,

If you would have peace, be prepared for war."

[SENTINEL]

"The decision to choose the longer-range Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) will be seen by Indonesia as provocative"

More provacative than the bombing of the Australian night club in Bali ?

[BenLurkin]

The question is: what does Indonesia have planned for Australia that it doesn't want Australia to be able to stop?

[Blueflag]

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/smart/jassm.htm

[Walkingfeather]

I don't think I knew that the hornet could launch cruise missiles. Seems rather inefficient, but I am sure someone here will correct me in a most caustic way ; )

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Once the get the JSF, they will be hot. Look out China.

[MARKUSPRIME]

Big deal if asia gets mad. The aussies have a right to arm themselves to defend what is theirs.Jassm is brutal and they are really no way of detecting it before it is up on you. By then its to late.

[brainstem223]

The asians surrounding the continent of Australia have nothing to fear from this weapon-phobic lousy excuse for a nation that confiscated guns from its citizens. They just need to kick down the door and walk right in...!

[SENTINEL]

Even an f-16 can carry four of these things at a time.

Range 2400 miles. Full stealth.

[MNJohnnie]

See some strategy here? Closer ties with India. Better weapons for Australia, a watchful peace with Russia, bases in Afganistan, Iraq and the 'stans. One is curious if someones in our Govt is not smarter then we think. Sure looks like some cagey longer term positioning...

[Piefloater]

weapon-phobic lousy excuse for a nation that confiscated guns from its citizens

Huh?

Australia: Gun Ownership Explodes

[Strategerist]

The question is: what does Indonesia have planned for Australia that it doesn't want Australia to be able to stop?

The Indonesian Military is basically completely helpless. Think, say, the Iraqi regular Army in 1991, but a lot worse.

[Fishing-guy]

Another arms race across the world. Excellent. (sarc.)

[RightWhale]

Australia confiscated many weapons just a few years ago after that crazy shot some tourists in Tasmania. Aussies are pretty much disarmed.

[Walkingfeather]

WOW, clarification? 2400 miles including the range of the f-16? or 2400 miles on their own? That seems like a freaking huge range that we could launch them land based from a base and hit about anywhere in the world.
But geography is not my strong point.

[Apercu]

The old SAC motto "Peace Through Strength" never more relevant in todays world.Go Aussies.

[FreeAtlanta]

With the Chinese on their backs, maybe they should consider an even more lethal cruise missile;

[MARKUSPRIME]

They can be nuclear equiped as well :)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They're still flying the F 111 ?