Overview
- Admiral David Johnston said Australia could “absolutely” send a warship to the Strait of Hormuz if the government prioritises that mission, adding that heavy US shifts into the Gulf raise Indo-Pacific presence concerns.
- The government extended the E-7A Wedgetail deployment requested by the United Arab Emirates, with Johnston saying operators filter the plane’s surveillance data so it supports air defense only.
- Officials have not committed a navy vessel or confirmed any direct US request for one, while talks with partners such as the UK and France continue on how to help keep the strait open.
- Opposition figure Andrew Hastie warned ADF ships lack protection against Iranian drones and missiles, which Johnston rejected by pointing to deployable capability across the fleet.
- The ADF said fuel stocks are healthy after holdings doubled since 2023 even as the strait carries about one fifth of global oil, a chokepoint that can ripple through prices and supplies if traffic slows.