BLUF
Operations in Australia’s N-NW require infrastructure improvements. These improvements would provide social and economic benefits to viable remote townships and also act to extend the ADF's reach in the area.
Summary
When operating in the north, the ADF cannot rely on market forces to meet its logistics requirements especially if surges in crises occur simultaneously in the area. Exmouth provides an excellent example of a strategically valuable town, being the closest point on the Australian mainland to the Sunda Strait, one of our main trading routes and home to a radio facility for communication with allied submarines. Additionally the Australian Air Force Base at Learmonth is only 35 km from the town. Coyne argues that enhanced port facilities at Exmouth would be of great benefit to the Australian Navy however, he notes that Defence should not be running such a project solo. What other projects in our N-NW would be viable force multipliers?