US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gives a thumbs up as he stands for a photo with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles during an honour cordon at the Pentagon, in Washington, DC, US, Sep 2, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper)
03 Sep 2026 01:09PM
SYDNEY: Washington and Canberra agreed to boost the US military presence in Australia and speed up cooperation, both countries said.Wary of China's unprecedented military build-up, US ally Australia has reshaped its defence force in recent years to focus on its missile strike capability and deterring would-be foes from its northern approaches.US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Canberra understood "the gravity of maintaining a favourable balance of power in the region" as he met with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Washington on Wednesday (Sep 2).The two "agreed to accelerate force posture initiatives at Australian bases, bolster cooperation in combined logistics, and build greater interoperability through joint exercises," the Pentagon said.
"They also discussed progress on defence industrial cooperation to enable shared capacity for guided weapons and next-generation capabilities," it added.Australia does not permit foreign military bases on its soil, but hosts US Marines for exercises for six months of the year in the northern city of Darwin.A rotating force of US-commanded submarines will arrive in Western Australia next year.
