SYDNEY—Australia’s new government launched a wide-ranging review of its military, reflecting concerns among some U.S. allies that the growing U.S.-China rivalry is increasing the risk of armed conflict in Asia and the Pacific.
The review will be the most significant reassessment of Australia’s military in decades, said Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles, who has been in the job less than three months. The review will determine what capabilities should be a priority for investment and where those assets should be deployed given the rapidly changing geopolitical situation in the Indo-Pacific, officials said.