Australia has secured approval from the Pentagon to purchase 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles under the AUKUS security pact. The deal will cost $1.3 billion and is part of Australia’s plan to acquire up to five nuclear-powered attack submarines over the next 10 years, which is expected to cost up to $368 billion. The sale of the missiles, which have an operational range of over 1,600 kilometers, will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US and boost Australia’s ability to project their posture further. The former Prime Minister Paul Keating criticized the deal, stating that it will make Australia “subordinate to the United States”. However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the decision, saying it was the right call for Australia’s national security and economy. China has accused the US, UK, and Australia of fueling an arms race and threatening peace in the Indo-Pacific, while Australian authorities have asserted that they will carefully adhere to non-proliferation protocols.