The Howard Government will use spy planes based in Darwin and submarines, warships and top-secret satellites to stop West Papuan refugees from reaching Australia.
In a multi-agency strategy the military will work with Customs, Coastwatch and Fisheries to target illegal fishermen as well as would-be refugees.
The major new surveillance effort will be spearheaded by Customs vessels diverted from drug interdiction operations in southern Australia and RAAF P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Navy patrol boats will relieve the Customs vessels on drugs watch.
The Orions will operate from the RAAF base at Darwin airport and will mount round the clock patrols of the waters between West Papua (Irian Jaya) and Australia.
The four-engine aircraft can spend up to 12 hours in the air and cover thousands of square kilometres of ocean and is regarded as the most effective weapon against small, wooden vessels in the open sea.
"We will pick up anything illegal," a government source said.
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