This handout image taken on July 23, 2024 and released by the Australian Defence Force shows a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft (top R) in formation flight with an RAAF EA-18G Growler electroni...

This handout image taken on July 23, 2024 and released by the Australian Defence Force shows a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft (top R) in formation flight with an RAAF EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft (bottom R), RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet (top C), a Spanish Navy AV-8B Harrier II (bottom C), an F-35 Lightning II (top L), a Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2 (bottom 2nd L), and a Philippine Air Force FA-50 Golden Eagle (bottom L) over northern Australia during Exercise Pitch Black 2024. Australia will deploy a long-range military reconnaissance plane to the Gulf to protect civilians, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on March 10, 2026

 Handout

Australia will raise defence spending to 3.0 percent of GDP by 2033 as armed conflicts flare worldwide, the government said Thursday.

The new commitment follows pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration for Canberra to boost military expenditure as a share of total annual economic output.

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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