The federal government in October 2018 announced scoping was underway to deliver the "next generation" of maritime surveillance capability through the Future Maritime Surveillance Capability project.
A press release[1] from Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton nearly two years ago said the project could see "drones prowling Australia's far-flung ocean boundaries" and "undersea sensors monitoring shipping movements around coastlines". He said the project would deliver "new cutting edge technology to respond to current and emerging civil maritime threats to Australia".
Dutton also said a "significant" investment in the project would be made.
Facing Senate Estimates on Monday, Home Affairs was asked where the project was up to, noting no funding had been explicitly allocated in the federal Budget, nor any contracts awarded since the announcement was made. Labor Senators claimed the upgrade would set Australia back around AU$1 billion.
"The government in due course will make a decision as to whether it's like for like, whether new technology comes on the scene, [such as] remotely piloted aircraft," Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo said.
Read more: How drones are steadily advancing Australia's environmental industry[2] (TechRepublic)
He said the money was available as part of the department's baseline maritime and surveillance budget, rather than being a separate funding measure.
"We're scouring with our colleagues in Defence all sorts of new technology and whether that's going to require the additional capital investment of a billion dollars or more, or less, is a function of that survey of technology. If you can surveil the ocean more broadly and cheaply using other technologies, it will be cheaper," Pezzullo added.
"There's base funding in the way that the navy in perpetuity has got money for warships and who knows what those warships will look like in 50 years or 100 years