Australia military to get a boost as America bulks up presence in Asia-Pacific nations

AUSTRALIA is set to get B-1 bombers, surveillance and other aircraft as America’s plans to bulk up its presence in Asia-Pacific nations.

US bombers coming to Australia

A TOP US military official has outlined America’s plans to bulk up its presence in Australia and other Asia-Pacific nations as China attempts to “assert de facto control over disputed territories”.

B-1 bombers, surveillance and other aircraft will be sent to Australia, David Shear, the assistant secretary of defence for Asian and Pacific affairs, told a US Senate foreign relations committee hearing in Washington DC.

Long-endurance, high-altitude remotely piloted Global Hawk aircraft and F-35 fighter jets will be in Japan, four combat ships in Singapore by 2020, a Virginia-class submarine in Guam, and “significant numbers of marines” in Australia, Hawaii and Guam.

“We will be placing additional air force assets in Australia as well, including B-1 bombers and surveillance aircraft,” Shear told the committee on Wednesday.

The hearing was titled Safeguarding American Interests In the East and South China Seas and Shear was quizzed about America’s military deployments in the region.

He said the US had noted “a pattern of behaviour that raises concerns that China is trying to assert de facto control over disputed territories, and strengthen its military presence in the South China Sea”.

“We are concerned that the scope and nature of China’s actions have the potential to disrupt regional security,” he said.

“Though increased military capabilities are a natural outcome of growing power, the way China is choosing to advance its territorial and maritime claims is fuelling concern in the region about how it would use its military capabilities in the future.”