Australia purchases 220 Tomahawk missiles from US in wake of submarines deal.

The US State Department has approved the sale of 220 cruise missiles to Australia in a deal valued at $895m. The missiles will be used by the Virginia-class submarines Australia will acquire from the US under the Aukus defence pact. The deal would enable the country "to reach out beyond our shores further and that's ultimately how we are able to keep Australia safe". The Aukus deal, unveiled on Monday in San Diego, binds together Australia, the UK and the US in a far-reaching defence alliance which will confront Chinese military expansion in the region.