Military air bases fast tracked for upgrade as Australia joins US Pacific push

Australian military bases and airstrips are undergoing a massive overhaul as US forces also push to secure the Pacific region from foreign threats.

Military airstrips and bases providing a chain-link defence to Australia’s north are in for a multi-billion upgrade under a fast-tracked Australia-US drive to secure the Pacific region.

Strategic fuel and war-fighting ordinance storages, defence missile systems and base upgrade plans have been brought forward, with a Defence department review identifying security shortfalls.

China’s rapid expansionist ambitions in the region and supply chain challenges exposed by Covid-19 flagged vulnerabilities for both Australia’s national security and America’s war-fighting capabilities in the region.

That has now sparked a sense of urgency with a “credible chance” of armed conflict before the end of the decade, according to the latest Defence review.

Australian troops from 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment arriving at RAAF Base Scherger during an exercise. Picture: Defence

A delegation led by US Indo-Pacific Command’s director for logistics and engineering Brigadier General Jered Helwig is currently inspecting military infrastructure in the Northern Territory and Queensland for “logistic opportunities”.

The US has already identified vulnerabilities around its major base in Guam, which is within missile range of China.

It is now looking at closer base-share arrangements in Australia, to park and service military hardware and, if needed, use as a forward operating base, as well as having a troop rotation above the current 2500 Marines here at any one time.

That’s more ships, aircraft and troops to visit.

RAAF base Tindal proposed aircraft apron for US bombers. Picture: Supplied

The upgrades plan goes beyond those already known to be approved at RAAF Tindal and RAAF Darwin, where the US military is funding expansions, and Cocos Keeling Islands airport, which has also been approved for upgrade.

But also now the “bare bases” currently only in ad hoc use are being looked at to help form a chain-link defence effect to Australia’s north, including RAAF Scherger on Cape York Peninsula, RAAF Curtin in northwest WA and RAAF Learmonth on the North West Cape.

Even runway assets rarely used since World War II, such as Batchelor, 100km south of Darwin, have been reviewed by Defence, as have, more broadly, vehicle highways that could be used in the event of a conflict where an air base runway is damaged.

US Indo-Pacific Command’s Director for Logistics and Engineering, Brigadier General Jered Helwig visiting the Australian War Memorial ahead of base tours. Picture: Defence

The ADF’s acting commander joint logistics command Brigadier Jason Walk said the US delegation visit would progress a commitment to establish “cooperative logistics, sustainment, and maintenance enterprises’’ in Australia.

“The Indo-Pacific Region is the priority theatre for the United States and working alongside Australia is critically important in this long-term partnership to achieve our collective goals of maintaining peace and stability in the region,” Brigadier General Helwig said.

Defence joint standing committee chair Senator David Fawcett welcomed the commitment to spend on the bases and the increased military interoperability with the US.

Personnel from the 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, conduct a practice beach assault on Forrest Beach, Queensland, during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21.

“The need has been recognised, funding has been allocated and Defence is working to making sure we have resilience capability,” he said.

“I am really pleased they are now talking about bare base resilience and looking at whether the bases are fit for purpose, I am pleased to see that development.”

Former Army major general turned senator Jim Molan has also long agitated for bare base upgrades.

“We have an obligation in this strategic environment to protect our major assets, which really are aircraft, ships and infrastructure such as communications and fuel,” he said.

“I think the fact the federal government’s allocating money to this and secondly receiving a US facilities and infrastructure group reflects how serious the government is taking the strategic future.”