"Big holes in Australia’s defences north of the 26th parallel" Topic

"The Government has said it recognises the "vital importance of Northern Australia to our national security" despite a damning report saying our northern border was riddled with holes that an invader could exploit.

An analyst has highlighted "crazy" levels of military under-investment in Australia's north. And a single road sums up the problem. Leading from a strategically important air base on the Cape York Peninsula, the road is little more than a dirt track and could become impassable in a heavy storm…."
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Amicalement
Armand

Nonsense. The journalist is just trying for a headline.

The defence of Australia's northern regions against invaders is like Russia's, very restricted by the weather as to the time of year you could land and manoeuvre and supply a mechanised force in the north (and keep your infantry safe from the saltwater crocs). And you will need mechanisation to then cross the thousands of miles of vast, waterless, hostile, arid wilderness before you encounter any major population areas or infrastructure in the south or any area we'd bother to fight you for!! :)

Your vehicles will need to be solar powered (cos you'll struggle to supply them with other fuels) and your infantry will need to be trained how to handle the crocodiles, poisonous snakes, spiders, etc, etc or they'll all be dead in short order.(and in northern Queensland the jungle is full of ferocious flightless birds that will disembowel the unwary).

Oh, and the road described as " … little more than a dirt track and could become impassable in a heavy storm…." works both ways. An invader would need to use it come south.

At the first look I got an impression that Russia was in the list of potential invaders of N Australia.
Well, I guess my English is to blame…;)

Seriously, if anyone of the big players REALLY wanted Australia all they would have to do is pay the occupants a few million dollars each to move out to somewhere like Canada or New Zealand, it would be cheaper than all but the most basic invasion.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Isn't there someone looking to buy a big island at the moment…..?

Even the Japanese High Command at the height of their hubris in late 1941 and early 1942 recognized they couldn't invade Australia to any effect, when it was pretty much undefended – the tyranny of distance and logistics!

My understanding is in the event of invasion Australia will be defended by a number of highschool kids armed with a hunting rifle and dirt bikes.

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I thought those had been confiscated.

Perhaps a large knife, like Crocodile Dundee used.

Ha-Ha-Ha…!

Amicalement
Armand

We don't need a gun, we've got a Donk.

In fact we have Kiwis on one flank and numerous other allies. Russia would be a long way from home if they tried anything. Besides, by the time they got here it will have been bought out by China, the way things seem to be going.

They'd have to sink our Navy and the US Navy first. Then again we didn't really pull our weight in Iraqi Freedom so can't expect the US Navy to even be there.

Depends when it might happen. The us is looking at doing more training down Under. If they have troops here at the time, it's game on.