Electronic warfare systems are the best defence for Australia

There's no need for Australian politicians to squander billions of taxpayer dollars buying costly missile defence systems - which may not work. Australia can save heaps on defence spending by developing electronic warfare systems as an alternative to supporting US arms dealers which may leave this country exposed to attack. Electromagnetic Pulse Generators are relatively simple defensive tools which can disrupt communications, guidance and navigation systems. A low powered electromagnetic pulse can be made by discharging an ultra low inductance high voltage capacitor into a low inductance antenna. Russia and China have both perfected EMP weapons – as demonstrated in the Black Sea, when in 2014, the systems of the Destroyer, USS Donald Cook were disabled. This year, USS Fitzgerald was unable to manoeuvre to avoid colliding with a commercial freighter off Japan – despite having what the US regarded as the best defence and navigation systems. With an effective EMP system or Directed Energy Weapons, Australia could disable incoming missiles, aircraft, ships and submarines. Some work on these is already being conducted at the Weapons Research Establishment, the Defence Science and Technology Group in Melbourne and by Raytheon Australia and BAE Systems. What's needed now is for politicians to prioritise funding towards Australia's defence rather than boosting resources to fight in foreign wars.