As Australia’s relationship with China becomes increasingly tense, a new development in the Aussie outback seeks to strengthen ties with our US allies.

Details and photos of the much anticipated $747m army base expansion planned for the Northern Territory have been released to the public.

The new development will help the Australian Defence Force and United States house and train troops on Aussie land.

The project, which spans four locations over 580km across the top end, comes in the wake of increasing global tensions between Australia, the US and China.

The four new military sites will be located at Robertson Barracks, Kangaroo Flats, Mount Bundey and Bradshaw Field.

Australia could soon be hosting more US marines and warships with Defence Minister Peter Dutton declaring he wants even greater military cooperation with our closest ally.

Senior officials from both nations are discussing options for expanded military cooperation, which the ABC has learnt include a proposal to form a new joint US marines and ADF training brigade based in Darwin.

If established, the joint brigade would be the first of its kind for Australia and would likely involve a rotating command with the United States.

Mr Dutton agreed there was scope to increase the size of the US marine rotational force in the Top End from its pre-COVID level of 2,500, and to base US navy vessels at HMAS Stirling near Perth. acting US ambassador Michael Goldman declined to comment on whether more American marines could soon be heading to Australia.

The US wants to store munitions and defence equipment in Australia’s Top End under a bilateral force posture review to better prepare the ANZUS allies for growing strategic threats from China.

Mr Goldman said geostrategic tensions required a more “innovative defence partnership” between Australia and the US, including co-production of precision-guided weapons on Australian soil.

He said a bilateral force posture review working group, established following last year’s AUSMIN talks, had met for the first time ­earlier this month to discuss “a wide range of contingencies”.

Mr Goldman said it was too early to provide details on any new initiatives, but said pre-positioning US weapons in Australia offered strategic advantages.

Mr Goldman’s comments follow the US government’s announcement last year of a $15m contract to build an earth-covered weapons magazine and munitions conveyor at RAAF Base Tindal, south of Darwin, as well as upgraded fuel storages.

Australia is in talks with Washington to build US-designed missiles on home soil and to store a stockpile of American munitions in the NT, as tensions between China and the West soar.

While nothing has been finalised, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced in March the government plans to shell out $1billion to start producing hi-tech guided missiles in Australia.

#redefiningAnzus

Drills will include air combat exercises designed to improve ability to use smaller airfields in case its main bases come under attack.

The joint exercise at the Andersen Air Force Base, known as Cope North 2021, started on Wednesday and will run until February 19 and will see the base hosting F-35A joint strike fighters for the first time.
The exercise kicks off with an exercise designed to improve the three countries’ ability to carry out humanitarian operations in response to a natural disaster in the region, according to a statement from the US air force in the Pacific.
It also includes air combat drills designed to improve their flexibility and common communications ability.

one commander had said that one aim was to improve the forces’ ability to operate from small, rough airfields with limited facilities – also known as austere airfields– a move analysts said was designed to make it harder to “wipe out” US air power with missile attacks on major bases.