Up to 2200 US personnel will participate in the Marine Rotational Force Darwin (MRF-D), conducting crisis response exercises, engage with regional partners and more.

For the first time, US Army personnel will also deploy to work alongside the rotation.

MRF-D Commanding Officer Colonel Christopher Steele was excited for the rotation to begin.

“This year our Marines will be coming from Camp Pendleton in Southern California as the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force assumes this mission, working alongside our US Army and Australian Defence Force counterparts,” he said.

The Marines are expected to complete the rotation in Australia by October 2022.