Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I can advise that, as part of the investment, Australia is also going to enter into a $200 million cooperative program with the United States Navy, which is for the development, production and sustainment of the MQ-4C Triton. That follows on from the example of the equally successful cooperative program that we had with the US Navy for the Poseidon aircraft. This is an arrangement which will enable Australia to work more closely with the United States to develop the capability and effectively manage both integration risks and through-life sustainment costs. These development programs underscore the depth of our alliance with the United States, which again is underpinned by strong cooperation in defence industry and in capability development. Australia is one of only a very few nations with which the United States has shared the Triton and Poseidon technology, so it is a very important engagement for us. They will also ensure that we meaningfully contribute to the ongoing development of the platforms to remain at the cutting edge. (Time expired)