Defence’s most comprehensive, and expensive, package of land force modernisation is underway, at a cost of $50–70 billion. Nine complementary programs cover every area of land warfare, from personal equipment for the soldiers through to unmanned aerial vehicles, amphibious craft, special forces helicopters, digital networks, surface-to-air missiles and long-range battlefield rocket systems. Moreover, those programs...

The acquisition of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to replace the Australian Navy's Armidale-class patrol boats under Project SEA 1180 has attracted little scrutiny or comment. It deserves more.