The service did away with the pursuit of a new manned armed scout helicopter and is grappling with how to fill the gap using a network of smart drones.
The decision marks the service’s most significant step yet as it aims to create a series of drones using autonomous software to fly alongside piloted jets.
Overhauling Australia’s overhead defenses is expected to generate hundreds of local jobs as well as open the door to a multibillion-dollar export market.