Australia has welcomed the 14th rotation of the United States Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) to the Northern Territory, marking another milestone in the long-standing defence partnership between the two nations.

Approximately 2,500 US Marines and sailors will take part in combined training operations with the ADF and regional partners throughout this rotation. The program will see participation in major exercises across Australia and the Indo-Pacific, including Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.

Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest military exercise since World War II, will involve participation from 19 nations.

Defence Minister Richard Marles has hosted his US and Japanese counterparts in Darwin for trilateral discussions on increased military cooperation.

Japanese troops will begin regular deployments in northern Australia as part of military cooperation between the three countries, Mr Marles announced on Sunday.

"Today we are announcing that there will be regular deployments of Japan's amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade to Australia," Mr Marles said at a televised press conference in Darwin.

The Darwin jury declared in a unanimous verdict that Mr Long was not guilty to the single charge of having sexual intercourse without consent.

Over the three-day hearing, the jury heard the then 24-year-old had sex with a woman following a boozy pub crawl in Mitchell St in late 2023.

The jury heard the next day the hungover woman initially rejected his sexual advances as she was feeling sick.

However five minutes later, Mr Long again initiated foreplay and they then had sex.

Mr Long rejected the accusation that he was reckless, stating: “It was definitely consensual”.

“Her body language was showing it time and time again,” he said.

Defence Barrister Peter Maley accused the woman of “retrospectively withdrawing consent” saying she had “gone into victim mode”.

Deep in the outback, a flurry of construction by Australia and the United States is transforming this once quiet military installation into a potential launchpad in case of conflict with China.

Runways are being expanded and strengthened to accommodate the allies’ biggest airplanes, including American B-52 bombers. A pair of massive fuel depots is rising side by side to supply U.S. and Australian fighter jets. And two earth-covered bunkers have been built for U.S. munitions.

But the activity at RAAF Tindal, less than 2,000 miles from the emerging flash points of the South China Sea, isn’t unique. Across Australia, decades-old facilities — many built by the United States during World War II — are now being dusted off or upgraded amid growing fears of another global conflict.

Marles declined to comment on the increasing rotations ... but said the trajectory is “an increasing American force posture in Australia.”

Deploying 16,000 US Marines to Darwin each year would be the cheapest way of deterring Australia’s potential enemies, a new report claims, urging a huge American influx to arrive in the Top End as early as 2025.

This week, a report released by the Institute of Public Affairs’ pitched six recommendations in how the next Australian government should improve national security.

“If agreed, this larger USMC presence should be made to happen within the next term of government, that is, 2025-28,” the report says.

Additionally, the report suggested the boost should come with “significant” firepower and aviation assets.