Lieutenant General George Smith, Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), visited the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) on June 7 - 8.

After ten years of Marine Corps rotations through the Northern Territory, I MEF now serves as the higher headquarters for the MRF-D, and will continue to provide the balance of Marines and Sailors in the coming years. Like the 2022 rotation, I MEF will continue to send standing regimental headquarters to serve as the MAGTF’s command element. This change, as well as several other refinements to the deployed force structure, increased the ability of MRF-D to integrate with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and other shared regional partners.

" MRF-D is, and must continue to be postured to facilitate operations from humanitarian assistance to high-intensity combat in the region, in support of our allied and partnered nations. A large part of that readiness is nested within the training environment here in the Northern Territory and relationship with the ADF, particularly with 1st Brigade."

The US Marine Corp says this year's deployment to Darwin is the most "combat-credible" group sent yet, as the troops complete a week of intense training on the remote Tiwi Islands.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute's Dr John Coyne said the increased US presence in northern Australia signalled the region's strategic importance to both countries.

"There's clear evidence the US government is going to invest more in ensuring that supply chains [and] defence logistics facilities are present in northern Australia and ready to support a range of contingencies," he said.

"Forward deployment in Darwin and northern Australia really provides proximity to the region, it provides a capacity [for the US] to leapfrog operations," Dr Coyne said.

"It provides the US military with a forward operating base from which it can launch into the region."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz-tob0Gqtg

The prime minister has confirmed the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to Chinese-owned company Landbridge will be reviewed.

The seven-year-old lease became a flash point during the second debate of the recent federal election campaign, with Albanese criticising the former government for its handling of the matter.

“When I was a minister, we put US Marines into Darwin. When you have been a minister we have had the Port of Darwin sold to a company connected with the Chinese Communist Party,” he said at the time.

Former US president Barack Obama expressed concern about the lease at the time, while China hawks in the Defence establishment have also questioned the leasing of the Port undertaken by the former NT Liberal government.

An 18-month joint study with the US and the UK is due to be completed by early next year, but staffers from a high-powered US Senate committee have been visiting Australia for talks this week.

Newly tabled responses to Senate questions on notice show the nuclear-powered submarine taskforce has an approved budget of $120m for the 2021-22 financial year and $180m for 2022-23.

That would include funding for technical studies and travel. It would also cover contributions to other government entities which are supporting the taskforce, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and nuclear agencies Ansto and Arpansa.

costs of actually building the submarines are yet to be allocated in the budget

A USA Marine will face court over allegations of assaulting a woman at a popular nightclub in Darwin.

A Marine Rotation Force Darwin spokesman confirmed that a marine stationed from their unit had received a notice from police to appear in court regarding an incident last month.

NT Police confirmed a Darwin woman was assaulted at a popular nightclub, the Landmark Hotel on Roystonea Ave on April 30.

It is understood CCTV captured footage of the alleged incident.

“We are working diligently to determine the facts in this situation, and are complying with all orders, policies, and agencies involved,” the MRF-D spokesman said.

On Tuesday NT Police issued a man with a notice to appear in court for the alleged indecent assault. He will appear in Darwin Local Court on June 16.