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Australia and U.S. Agree to Accelerate Military Activity at Australian Bases

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Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of two suited defense officials standing side by side in a formal building entrance, with the official on the right giving a thumbs-up, rendered in warm ochre and slate-blue pastel strokes.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth agreed at the Pentagon to accelerate force-posture initiatives at Australian bases, strengthen combined logistics and expand joint exercises. They also discussed defense-industrial cooperation on guided weapons and next-generation capabilities. U.S. Navy sailors have arrived in Western Australia to prepare for Submarine Rotational Force-West activities beginning in 2027, when about 1,000 U.S. Navy personnel are due at HMAS Stirling. Marles said the expansion was not primarily about troop numbers, but about more complex activity across land, sea, air, cyber and space; further details are expected at AUSMIN later in 2026.

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