In anti-budget rallies, protesters have loudly demanded the government spend more money on health, welfare and education and not $12 billion on new jet fighters.
So how does RAAF chief Air Marshal Geoff Brown respond to that one?
"Security is one of the fundamental responsibilities of government. The unfortunate thing with defence is that the debt that you actually owe the future needs to be paid today," he said.
Addressing a dinner of the air power think tank the Williams Foundation, he said the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was a 30-40 years investment in capability.
Last months the government gave the go-ahead for acquisition of 58 of the advanced combat aircraft, which, with already ordered aircraft, will give the RAAF a fleet of 72 at a cost of about $12 billion.
The first Australian aircraft is now undergoing final checks at the Lockheed Martin plant in Texas ahead of handover to the RAAF next month.
Air Marshal Brown said without this investment now, the strategic position of future governments would be altered.
"Budgets are short-term issues. Defence is a long-term issue," he said.
Australia is acquiring the conventional takeoff and landing version of JSF. However, the coming defence white paper will canvass acquiring some of the short takeoff and vertical landing variants for use from the navy's new landing ships.
Air Marshal Brown said these aircraft had their place.
But they are more expensive, have a shorter range and carry a smaller weapons load, and considerable work would be needed to make the landing ships suitable.
"It's got its challenges and that's what we will work through over the next few months to actually articulate what those challenges are and what are the additional costs," he said.
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