Tokyo and Canberra will take defense cooperation and industry tie-ups to fresh highs over the next 18-to-24 months, a senior Australian defense official told The Japan Times in a recent interview, as the strategic partners grow increasingly concerned about the fraught international security environment.

“We need to grow our cooperation not just directly in the military-to-military domain, but also in the industrial and technological fields,” said Hugh Jeffrey, the Department of Defence’s deputy secretary for strategy, policy and industry.

“Ultimately, if we are going to be more effective, it's not just about how our operators work together, but also about how to deliver a more advanced and effective capability to make sure that our militaries are fit for purpose in this tougher strategic environment,” he said during a visit to Tokyo.