Over the last 24 hours Australia's Prime Minister Turnbull has declared that Australia, as an ally of the US, would come to the aid of the US, if the US went to war with North Korea (NK).
Turnbull's words were"America stands by its allies, including Australia of course, and we stand by the United States...So be very, very clear on that. If there's an attack on the US, the ANZUS Treaty would be invoked and Australia would come to the aid of the United States, as America would come to our aid if we were attacked."
COMMENT
If NK carried out its threat to fire missiles at the US Territory of Guam this might be a trigger for a US counter-strike against NK. If NK's action is judged "an attack on the US" Australia might then send air and/or sea units to reinforce US forces facing NK.
Australian military assets that might conceivably work with US forces could include:
Aircraft, for example, Australian:
- AP-3C Orions and/or P-8 Poseidons to patrol against NK submarines, NK ships and boats.
- Boeing 737 (platform) E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft
- Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aerial refueling aircraft
- possibly Australian F/A-18/F and/or F/A-18A strike aircraft, and
- EA-18G (Growler) electronic jamming aircraft
Perhaps ships, including:
- 2 Anzac class and/or Adelaide class frigates.
- Australia's first Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Hobart, is unlikely to be commissioned in time.
- For the frigates' long voyage north 1 replenishment ship (HMAS Sirius or HMAS Success)
- Collins submarines for blocking defence, closer to Australian waters.
It is still unclear what South Korea, Japan, China and Russia might do given their geographic proximity to North Korea.
Pete
Turnbull's words were"America stands by its allies, including Australia of course, and we stand by the United States...So be very, very clear on that. If there's an attack on the US, the ANZUS Treaty would be invoked and Australia would come to the aid of the United States, as America would come to our aid if we were attacked."
COMMENT
If NK carried out its threat to fire missiles at the US Territory of Guam this might be a trigger for a US counter-strike against NK. If NK's action is judged "an attack on the US" Australia might then send air and/or sea units to reinforce US forces facing NK.
Australian military assets that might conceivably work with US forces could include:
Aircraft, for example, Australian:
- AP-3C Orions and/or P-8 Poseidons to patrol against NK submarines, NK ships and boats.
- Boeing 737 (platform) E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft
- Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aerial refueling aircraft
- possibly Australian F/A-18/F and/or F/A-18A strike aircraft, and
- EA-18G (Growler) electronic jamming aircraft
Perhaps ships, including:
- 2 Anzac class and/or Adelaide class frigates.
- Australia's first Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Hobart, is unlikely to be commissioned in time.
- For the frigates' long voyage north 1 replenishment ship (HMAS Sirius or HMAS Success)
- Collins submarines for blocking defence, closer to Australian waters.
It is still unclear what South Korea, Japan, China and Russia might do given their geographic proximity to North Korea.
Pete