Australia's new strategic alliance with the United States and United Kingdom is likely to see more troops, war planes and naval vessels in the Top End. But any expansion could be hindered by the controversial lease of Darwin Port to a Chinese company, national security experts say.

Heralded as the most significant shift in Australia's defence direction in decades, the centrepiece of the trilateral security partnership, dubbed "AUKUS", is a plan to build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

But Defence Minister Peter Dutton has also flagged a major enhancement in Australia's military cooperation with the US, which currently deploys about 2,500 marines to the Top End each dry season.

John Coyne from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the 99-year lease of the Darwin Port to Landbridge could prove an impediment to the allies' military expansion plans.

WASHINGTON: Australia said Thursday that more US troops will rotate through the island nation and that the allies will cooperate on missiles, the latest joint steps amid shared concerns over a rising China.

Outlining further measures on a visit to Washington, Defense Minister Peter Dutton said Australia will be “significantly enhancing” cooperation including working together on the development of missiles and explosive ordnance.

He said Australia was willing to see more US Marines in a decade-old rotation through the northern city of Darwin

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, also without giving numbers, confirmed that the United States “will expand our access and presence in Australia.”

Australia is open to boosting American troop rotations and increasing military plane visits as defence co-operation between the allies ramps up.

A historic pact to share nuclear-powered submarine technology - under the umbrella of a new alliance known as AUKUS - has been signed as Australian ministers held talks with counterparts in the United States.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday morning for the latest AUSMIN talks.

Mr Dutton said he aspired to increase troop rotations and other military co-operation between the two nations.

"If that includes basing and includes the storage of different ordinances, I think that is in Australia's best interests, in our national interests at this point in time."

BRITISH soldiers could begin a yearly rotation in the NT, similar to the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, which could also be expanded, off the back of the newly formed trilateral security partnership announced by the federal government.

Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison said the Territory government was still going through the details of the new alliance, which includes a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

Ms Manison said Darwin was an important location for the nation and the government was working to increase defence investment in the NT.

“We welcome investment when it comes to defence personnel, strategic defence assets here in the Northern Territory, and we’ll continue working with the Commonwealth government to deliver on what defence needs here in the Territory,” she said.

Dutton said the latest talks in Washington had “reinforced our shared commitment to ensuring an alliance that is match-fit to meet the strategic challenges ahead”.

He announced that Australia and the US would be “significantly enhancing our force posture cooperation”, including “greater air cooperation through rotational deployments of all types of US military aircraft to Australia” including bombers.

Dutton also indicated he would like to see an increase in the number of US troops coming on rotation through Darwin.

He said there would be more military exercises with the US, and greater combined exercises with other partners in the region. He was also open to the basing and storage of military supplies in Australia.

Australia’s defence minister says Aukus pact makes region safer and ‘no amount of propaganda can dismiss the facts’