AUKUS agreement brings more US troops and aircraft
Defence Minister Peter Dutton has flagged an increase in US troop rotations under an agreement that will expand America’s military presence in Australia.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton has flagged an increase in US troop rotations under an agreement that will expand America’s military presence in Australia and lead to more US aircraft, including bombers and surveillance planes, deployed on RAAF bases.
The deal to “significantly advance” US military engagement on Australian soil was unveiled in Washington by Mr Dutton, Foreign Minister Marise Payne, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin.
At the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations both nations agreed to “enhanced air co-operation” through the rotational deployment of US aircraft of all types in Australia as part of a push to “deter adversaries” in the Indo-Pacific region.
The agreement comes a decade after US troops first began rotations in Darwin and will result in enhanced co-operation on air, naval and land activities.
Mr Dutton also signalled his hope for an increase in the size of US troop rotations from their current level of 2500.
“I do have an aspiration to make sure that we can increase the numbers of troops through the rotations. The air capability will be enhanced, our maritime capability enhanced and certainly the force posture enhanced,” Mr Dutton said.
US troops are rotated through RAAF bases in Darwin and Katherine, but Mr Dutton said there were opportunities “in the southern states as well at airfields” including at Richmond in NSW and Amberley in Queensland.
The enhanced co-operation comes after the signing of a historic three-way defence pact between Australia, the US and Britain that will deliver a sovereign nuclear submarine and missile program.
“Australia and the United States will be significantly enhancing our force posture co-operation, increasing interoperability and deepening alliance activities in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Dutton said. “This will include greater air co-operation through rotational deployments of all types of US military aircraft to Australia.
“We will also establish combined logistics, sustainment and capability for maintenance to support our enhanced activities, including logistics and sustainment capabilities for our submarines and surface combatants in Australia.
“These key activities will be complemented by conducting more bilateral exercises and greater combined exercise engagement with partners in the region.”
Mr Austin said the agreement would “expand our access and presence in Australia”.
“We spoke in detail about China’s destabilising activities and Beijing’s efforts to coerce and intimidate other countries, contrary to established rules and norms,” he said. “And while we seek a constructive, results-oriented relationship with the PRC, we will remain clear-eyed in our view of Beijing’s efforts to undermine the established international order.”
Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said he would not be surprised if the number of troops on rotation in the Northern Territory more than doubled.
“Twenty-five hundred marines come here for rotation, which lasts for nine months, and then they leave because of the wet season up north,” Mr Jennings said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see that grow by several thousands.
“In addition to that, it has been less noticed, but over the last 10 years there has been a lot more US Air Force aircraft coming to the Top End. There has been investment into more fuel storage for them; ammunition storage.
“And we are going to see more of that as well. I think we are going to see more US Navy ships coming, perhaps even for long-term rotational deployments.”
Mr Jennings said the agreement suited the US strategy because “what they are looking to do is disperse their forces in the Pacific from a small number of large bases to a much more disaggregated footprint”.
“And it suits our strategy because having the Americans here clearly complicates the planning of any country that wants to do us harm,” Mr Jennings said. “It sort of deepens our own ability to co-operate with them and that lifts the capabilities of the Australian Defence Force.”
Mr Dutton also announced on Friday the government would fund a Washington office for ASPI, which markets itself as a “independent nonpartisan think tank”.
With China condemning the AUKUS agreement, Scott Morrison rejected claims the trilateral partnership would worsen the relationship with Australia’s biggest trading partner.
“We are just taking the necessary actions we need to take to keep Australia safe and you have a peaceful and stable region in which we live,” the Prime Minister told the Seven Network’s Sunrise program. Mr Morrison said news of the partnership and deal to acquire a fleet of nuclear submarines had been welcomed by Indo-Pacific leaders.
However, Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was concerned over the “continuing arms race and power projection in the region”.
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