Australia’s plan for a $7 billion fleet of drones

Australia is set to invest $7 billion in a hi-tech drone surveillance program.

The Federal Government plans to purchase six Triton drones, which each have the wing span of a Boeing 737.

They will also have the ability to complete a lap of the South China Sea after taking off from the Northern Territory.

Sam Roggeveen from the Lowy Institute told 3AW Breakfast that Australia will share the data with its allies.

“There are limits on that intelligence sharing,” he said.

“But this is an American system and the government is actually talking about this in terms of joint capability with the United States, so you can be sure some of it is going to be shared.”

Click PLAY to hear Sam Roggeveen explain in full