Mr Gosling said northern Australia’s defence would be seriously boosted by the Commonwealth’s $7-10bn investment in 18 medium landing craft and eight heavy landing craft, to be based in northern Australia.

Writing in the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Strategist magazine, the Top End’s federal MP said the strong focus on northern Australia in defence planning including the National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program reflected the crucial role the region would play in defending the nation.

He said northern Australian bases would “have a key role to play in helping the ADF to recover from an attack and strike back at the enemy”.

He flagged East Arm as a potential site to base the Territory’s contingent.

“Picture the manoeuvres of the British and US planes that shot down Iranian missiles heading for Israel in April — only this time over the Arafura Sea, again.”

Almost 10 months after a deadly air crash over the Tiwi Islands, the US Marines are back to flying Osprey aircraft in Top End skies, but it is unclear whether their Australian brethren will be joining them in the controversial chopper.

The Australian Defence Force do not operate Ospreys, however, as a partner of the United States Marine Corps, Australian troops have previously boarded the aircraft for training exercise purposes.

It is understood the incoming Ospreys will make the trip from Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, for Darwin in the coming weeks.

Marines cleared of five charges after young Americans’ photos ‘fatally undermine’ Darwin teen’s rape allegations.

The court heard evidence in the wake of the incident that the woman “appeared in shock” to her friend and made disclosures.

Despite making alleged disclosures to two friends in the days after, it was only when she suffered an adverse reaction to MDMA a week later that she told emergency services and sparked police involvement.

Turcios agreed that the attachments he sent Martinezjaramillo contained the woman’s private medical records but said he ”sent the whole brief because that’s where the statement was”.

He agreed that he “knew a prosecution was coming” but denied sending Martinezjaramillo the brief so he could “tailor his evidence” if called as a witness.

if you're guilty, get Maley

A US Marine who allegedly raped a young woman before conspiring with a fellow jarhead to cover it up has faced the first day of his trial alongside his “friend and gym buddy”.

Lester Rodriguez Turcios pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court to rape, aggravated assault and attempting and conspiring to pervert the course of justice, while fellow marine Juan Martinezjaramillo pleaded not guilty to conspiracy.

In his opening address to jurors on Monday, Crown prosecutor Damien Jones quoted directly from the 19-year-old alleged victim following the incident on May 27 last year.

“I woke up to him pushing himself inside me, I had no underwear on, I was like ‘uh, what the f--k?’, I’ve tried pushing him off me quite a bit but he had kind of pinned me down."

The woman reported the alleged assault six days later and police asked Martinezjaramillo to make a statement as a potential witness on June 21. Investigators also obtained a warrant to seize Turcios’ mobile phone, which revealed conversations between the two marines “as to what was going to be said in the interview”.

Military activity in the Territory is set to soar, with more than one thousand Marines arriving in the Top End for the 13th rotation of Marine Rotational Force - Darwin.

On Friday, Marines got a taste for the Top End’s conditions as they stepped onto the airstrip tarmac.

The new rotation’s Commanding Officer Colonel Brian Mulvihill said his troops were “excited” to get started.

ADF Commanding Officer Headquarters Northern Command, Captain Mitchell Livingstone, said the next eight months would involve high-end training.

“I’m pleased to welcome the 13th iteration of MRF-D to the Top End,” he said.

“These rotations not only help build interoperability between the ADF and the US, but also serve to increase regional cooperation with partner nations in the Indo-Pacific.

“Over the next eight months, the ADF and USMC will conduct a comprehensive range of training activities, including humanitarian assistance, security operations, and live-fire exercises, all of which better prepare our forces to respond effectively to contingencies that may arise.”