Australia will be part of an expanded US industrial base, as Washington promises to help Canberra build guided missiles within two years. What will this mean for regional security?

 
Australia will be given access to advanced manufacturing techniques from the United States, so it can build its own guided missiles.

It’s one of the big ticket items to come from recent talks in Brisbane between visiting Secretaries of Defence and State with their Aussie counterparts.

The new cooperation on guided weapon production follows a trilateral partnership announcement in March that will see Britain provide Australia with a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology.

This all comes despite Australia and the US trying to build closer relations with Beijing – at least they’re now talking.