US plans to boost military presence at RAAF Base Tindal edging closer

NT leaders are urging the federal government to reconsider its initial moves to spread troops around Australia and instead base them in the Top End. Vote in our poll.

The Federal Government will receive a preliminary report this week as part of its Defence strategic review, as calls grow for more troops and assets to be based in Australia’s north.

Former defence minister Stephen Smith and former chief of the defence force Angus Houston are leading the review, aimed at prioritising where Australia should prioritise its Defence investments.

During a visit to the Northern Territory this month, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said there should be a greater concentration of assets and investment in northern Australia.

“More Australians should learn about the bombings of Darwin and understand the proximity and geography and the reality of what it means to defend a vast coastline and waterways to our north and to the northeast and the northwest,” he said.

“There are very significant investments that are required and I hope that the government can take money out of Canberra and put it into the north because that gives us the best chance of deterrence against any adversary.”

US Marines secure Nackaroo Airfield during exercise Loobye, a joint training exercise between the USMC and the ADF at Nackaroo Airfield Picture: Glenn Campbell

Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King said she expected the review would have a significant focus on the north.

“It certainly is where the action is, and I’ve no doubt that report will be looking into the role of Northern Australia in our defence as successive government have been very aware of the vulnerabilities in the north,” she said.

Since 2020 the Federal Government has made significant Defence investments in the Northern Territory.

These included a $1.1bn upgrade to the RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine, allowing it to accommodate American B-52 bombers on training rotations.

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison has urged the federal government to rethink moving troops from Darwin to other bases around Australia. Picture: Floss Adams.

The United States has also announced plans to build a fuel storage facility in Darwin.

But between 2010 and 2018 there was also a reduction in the number of Australian troops based in Darwin, as the Army’s 7RAR regiment was moved south to Adelaide.

Analysis by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute shows almost 2000 troops were relocated from Darwin over that period.

Northern Territory Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison urged the federal government to rethink that move.

“Without a doubt successive Northern Territory government have lobbied the federal government with regards to movement of troops from out of the Northern Territory when we had seen some go to South Australia and to Queensland because we think having a defence population here is really good and healthy for everybody in the Northern Territory,” she said.

The preliminary report will not be made public, but a final report is expected to be handed to the government early next year and released in March.

US closer to boosting presence in NT

The United States’ plan to step-up its Northern Territory presence is gathering pace, with strong support from federal and NT governments.

Reports on Monday said the US military was moving closer to developing a number of projects at RAAF Base Tindal, about 15km out of Katherine, that would increase the American presence in the Territory and involve an increase in aircraft activity at the base, including B-52s.

The projects were first flagged in October 2020 in a Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific document titled Overview of US Projects in NT October 2020.

Planned US Defence spending at Tindal in Katherine (US dollars)

The document details future tenders at Tindal for jet fuel storage tanks valued between US$25m and US$100m, squadron operational facilities valued between US$5m and US$10m, maintenance support facility between US$5m and US$10m and aircraft parking apron to cost between US$25m US$100m.

Contracts for the tanks and operational and maintenance facilities were to be contracted this year.

A contract to build the earth covered magazines was awarded to Icon P/L in 2021.

Speaking in Darwin on Monday, federal Northern Australia Minister Madeleine King said the new projects were linked to the Australia US Alliance that she described as “typical”.

Federal Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

“There’s been a lot of investment in Darwin and towns that host aircraft right across this country but particularly in the Northern Territory and that’s welcome investment,” she said.

“It’s good for the communities, it’s good for jobs in those areas. The direct jobs that come with having Defence Force people there, I do not think it increases the risk to those communities.”

Ms King said she believed a Defence Strategic Review, which the federal government is due to receive tomorrow and release in March, will include a focus on Northern Australia, “where the action is”.

“I’ve no doubt that report will be looking into that role of northern Australia in our defence and as successive governments have been very aware of the vulnerabilities in the north and I’ve no doubt that report will look into that.”

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the Territory had a long and proud defence history.

“We are a very important strategic location when it comes to Australia and the region,” she said.

“That’s why over many governments over many, many decades you have seen significant defence investment in the Northern Territory, to the point where after the White Paper there has been a $20bn commitment over 20 years into upgrading infrastructure across the Northern Territory’s defence facilities and training sites.

“There has been a huge investment and that’s going to continue for years to come.

So this isn’t new news that we’re going to have American planes that will be coming in to the Northern Territory which they already frankly do when we have our regular training exercises here in the Territory.”

In November 2011, then US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the Territory would host US Marines on six-month deployments at Robertson Barracks in response to increased Chinese military activity in the South China Sea.

This year’s deployment of US Marines have recently left the Territory.