Proven allies of the United States get the best weapons: Australia says to acquire new ‘most lethal’ cruise missiles.

And that’s the way it ought to be.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia announced plans to acquire long-range cruise missiles that will give its defence force the “most lethal capacity” for air combat in the region.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said Thursday the air-to-surface missiles would have the capacity to destroy air and sea targets up to 400 kilometres (250 miles) away and would enter into service between 2007 and 2009.

The new missiles’ range would be up to four times the range of any missile now available to the air force, The Australian newspaper reported.

The plan comes amid heightened fears about North Korea’s nuclear missile programme and mixed relations with neighbouring Indonesia, widely perceived in Australia as the country’s biggest security threat.

Hill said Australia would pay 350 million to 450 million dollars (248-317 million US) for the missiles, to be used on F/A-18 Hornet fighters and AP-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft.

He said the Australian Defence Force (ADF) would be given a choice of three state-of-the-art weapons systems and would advise next year which it wanted.

“The new weapon will significantly enhance the ADF’s air strike capability, providing a long-range, accurate and lethal attack against a range of targets including fixed and re-locatable targets on land and sea,” Hill said in a statement.

“Combined with the new air-to-air missiles and upgraded precision-guided bombs, Australia’s fighter jets will be the region’s most lethal capacity for air combat and strike operations,” he said.