"We're planning to equip our FA-18s and the P3 Orions with what you would call a cruise missile," Hill said.
Ron Huisken, an expert in US defense policy, said the government needed to justify such systems were necessary.
"It's a complicated business. It makes a big difference whether you aspire to defend Australia itself or whether you aspire to defend Australian expeditionary forces going overseas, there's a lot of holes in the story so far before we spend lots of money," said Huisken, who is based a the Australian National University.
Hill announced last year plans by the government to spend A$15.8 billion (US$10.3 billion) on defense, or 1.9 percent of the nation's economic output, for the fiscal year.
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