WASHINGTON – The United States will increase its military footprint in Australia and has agreed with Canberra to invite Japan to take part in the effort, Anadolu Agency quoted Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin as saying yesterday.
Speaking alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they hosted their Australian counterparts at the State Department, Austin said the increased air, land and sea troop rotations will include bomber task forces, fighter jets and additional rotations of Navy and Army capabilities to expand logistics and other cooperation with Australia.
“That will deepen our interoperability and create more agile and resilient capabilities. We’ll also continue to find ways to further integrate our defence industrial bases in the years ahead,” Austin said.
Exact details on the increased US troop presence, including its size and when it will commence, have yet to be finalised and will be announced at a later date.
Japan, Austin said, has been invited to “integrate into our force posture initiatives in Australia”. He did not elaborate.
The US, along with the United Kingdom, announced a trilateral security pact with Australia called Aukus last year that, among other things, is slated to provide Canberra with technology to field a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.
The announcement to provide Australia with the sensitive technology riled up Beijing, which has lashed out strongly against Aukus. – Bernama, December 7, 2022
