US strike force of more than 2200 Marines to arrive in Darwin within days

THE deployment of 2200 US Marines to Darwin — 1000 more than last year’s force — is about to begin, with the first due to arrive within days

US Marines taking part in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019. The deployment of another 2200 US Marines to Darwin is about to begin, with the first due to arrive in days. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

THE deployment of 2200 US Marines to Darwin is about to begin, with the first due to arrive within days.

This is 1000 more than last year’s force and just 300 less than the full compliment of 2500 in 2019.

Special COVID-19 plans, which include housing the US Marines at a “secure facility outside Darwin” for 14 days, have been drawn up for what will be the tenth Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D). The new head of Northern Command in Darwin, Colonel Marcus Constable, said the secure facility is not the Howard Springs quarantine facility.

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“We are working through in detail for a facility outside of Darwin, it is not hotel quarantine, but a facility outside of Darwin that provides all the requisite requirements to be able to conduct safe quarantine facilities,” Colonel Constable said.

“It is not the same facility as Howard Springs. This is deliberate so we do not in any way remove capacity for the repatriation of Australians returning into the country.

“The facility we will be using will provide like levels of a quarantining standards.”

Colonel Constable refused to say whether the facility was Wickham Point.

“The exact location will be released later,” he said.

He said advanced elements of the Marine force, which will start arriving in mid February, will be housed in isolated accommodation on one of Darwin’s three Defence bases.

“These will constitute smaller groups of up to around 200 each,” he said.

“As we move towards the April – May period the main body of movements will begin, with the full force here by June.”

Colonel Constable said the US Marines and Australian Defence Forces would conduct a comprehensive range of live fire training exercises.

“COVID-19 permitting, we will also train with partner countries throughout the year, including exercise Talisman Sabre,” he said.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said the procedures for managing the MRF-D’s arrival, quarantine and possible cases of COVID-19 had been developed and agreed in full consultation with NT Health authorities and will strictly adhere to all Australian government requirements to mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

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She said all US personnel would undergo COVID-19 testing within 72 hours of departure for Australia and presenting a negative result before boarding. They must then complete mandatory 14-day quarantine, which includes COVID-19 testing on arrival in Australia and again before exiting quarantine.

“NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner and I have discussed the extensive arrangements that have been put in place to manage the risk of COVID-19,” Senator Reynolds said. “... I thank the NT government for their continued support.”