Mercator - Maritime Domain Strategy 2040

The lesson of centuries for island nations, is that in war, conflict and competition, victory at sea is essential for success on land and ultimately victory as a nation. Defeat at sea, on the other hand, leads to defeat as a nation. The sea has always been a competitive domain. Examples, such as the Pacific campaign of the Second World War, demonstrate the need to be able to deploy and sustain lethal and survivable maritime forces which are critical to campaign success. With the likelihood of high intensity conflict now less remote, the enduring strategic need to contest the seas, to succeed in the Maritime Domain is more important than ever and requires a persistent and joint effort to compete.

For 120 years our maritime forces have kept Australia safe, protecting our national heritage and sovereignty, both at home and abroad. This has helped Australia to develop within a rules based global order as a unified, secure and prosperous nation, with a proudly democratic and multi-cultural society.

Noting DSU20 direction, we again find ourselves engaged in a contested and unrelenting campaign, dealing with emerging challenges such as military modernisation, technological disruption and the risk of state-on-state conflict, all the while subject to active interference, disinformation campaigns and economic coercion.

To meet these challenges, our strategic direction is clear. Defence’s strategic objectives are to deploy military power to:

• Shape our strategic environment;
• Deter actions against our interests; and
• if required, Respond with credible military force.