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Australia’s Chief of Defence has said that sending a warship to the Strait of Hormuz could “absolutely” be done, if called upon to do so.
Admiral David Johnston said that he is “very confident” that a Royal Australian Navy vessel could be deployed to the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict in Iran continues.
A ceasefire has been signed between the United States, Israel, and Iran, with Iran's foreign minister agreeing to open the Strait for two weeks.
However, Iran is currently keeping the Strait at a standstill in response to Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon.
Admiral Johnston told the ABC that Australia is not planning to send any vessel to the region, but “we could deploy a ship into that environment if the government was to make a decision to do so”.
“I have no hesitation in our ability to work in a Strait of Hormuz-type role.
"The short answer is yes, we could absolutely deploy”.
Defence Minister Richard Marles told ABC’s 7:30 program that there is a “difference between saying what capabilities we have and what we will do”.
“And I'm not about to speculate on what we may or may not do.”
Admiral Johnston emphasised that if the situation presented itself, deploying a naval ship would be an act of ensuring Australia’s strategic priorities are at the forefront, similar to current engagements in the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea.
“In the context of today, you would be aware that the United States has moved enormous military capacity into the Gulf region at the moment, including a lot of capacity out of the Indo-Pacific,” Johnston said.
“This is an important time for us to be present in the Indo-Pacific to maintain that regional environment that we seek to maintain.”
Australia has continued to express its support for securing the Strait, signing a joining agreement with a range of international allies to offer support in the matter.
“We have been clear that the longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will be, and the greater the human cost,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
“Australia has been working with international partners in support of diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz so critical supplies can flow to those who need it, including the most vulnerable.”
Albanese announced on Thursday that the Royal Australian Air Force E-7 Wedgetail surveillance aircraft currently assisting the United Arab Emirates would extend its deployment period.
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