Set against the backdrop of growing regional tension, major work is being carried out to defence facilities across Australia and a significant portion falls under the umbrella of the US Force Posture Initiative.

The most recent additions to the overarching USFPI occurred in 2023 with the signing of an Enhanced Space Cooperation agreement, together with a commitment to conducting more regular and longer-duration visits of US Navy nuclear submarines, and increased rotations of US Navy maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

Looking to the future, the most recent round of bilateral discussions (AUSMIN 24) agreed to progress the redevelopment of northern air bases – primarily Darwin and Tindal – but to begin scoping the RAAF’s bare bases across the north of the country in the form of RAAF Curtin and Learmonth in Western Australia, and Scherger in Queensland.

The upcoming AUSMIN 25 dialogue will further outline steps to enhance the FPI and grow the defence infrastructure footprint across the country. It will lead to a number of announcements in regard to the next steps in force posture activities within Australia.

A US nuclear-powered submarine has pulled into Darwin Harbour, with authorities keeping the high-value vessel under close wraps from the public eye.

On Thursday morning, the USS Minnesota, escorted by a couple of tug boats, was seen passing through Darwin Harbour towards East Arm.

It is understood the USS Minnesota cruised to northern Australia directly from Perth, where it was docked at HMAS Stirling last month.

Last week, the NT Government issued a ‘notice to mariners’, warning local boaties the waters surrounding East Arm Wharf would be closed due to a joint US navy and ADF operation which runs until April 3.

Leaked correspondence obtained by the ABC shows 11 fuel tanks built to support US military activities in the Indo-Pacific have been unlawfully constructed on Darwin Harbour.

Despite having an initial completion date of September 2023, the tanks are still not operational due to "water intrusion" in their leak detection system.

ABC has obtained correspondence from February 20, 2024 that shows the tanks were constructed without a building permit — a legal requirement under the Northern Territory Building Act.

The tanks' owner-occupier, US-based company Crowley, says it's working with the Northern Territory government to complete the project in compliance with the law.

Crowley said Project Caymus was issued a development permit in November 2021 "to allow the land to be developed for the project". The development permit, which has also been obtained by the ABC, explicitly notes that it "is not an approval to undertake building work".

Australia has welcomed the 14th rotation of the United States Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) to the Northern Territory, marking another milestone in the long-standing defence partnership between the two nations.

Approximately 2,500 US Marines and sailors will take part in combined training operations with the ADF and regional partners throughout this rotation. The program will see participation in major exercises across Australia and the Indo-Pacific, including Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.

Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest military exercise since World War II, will involve participation from 19 nations.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has hosted his US and Japanese counterparts in Darwin for trilateral discussions on increased military cooperation.

Japanese troops will begin regular deployments in northern Australia as part of military cooperation between the three countries, Mr Marles announced on Sunday.

"Today we are announcing that there will be regular deployments of Japan's amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade to Australia," Mr Marles said at a televised press conference in Darwin.