US likely to expand military presence in Australia

The US is likely to increase its military presence in Australia, with an announcement expected in the coming months, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported Thursday.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said after meeting with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington that the American military presence in Australia "will grow further."

The Australian government said Marles and Hegseth discussed an expansion of the US presence at Australian military bases.

Washington already maintains a military presence in Australia through existing force posture agreements.

Australia signed a "force posture agreement" with Washington in 2014 aimed at establishing the long-term presence of US forces in Australia, saying it would help provide regional stability and support rapid responses to humanitarian disasters.

"Since we've come to government, you can see a through-line of growing American force in Australia, and we think that's really important in terms of providing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, providing for stability and peace in the Indo-Pacific," Marles said.

The Pentagon said the two sides planned to grow the US military presence in Australia by accelerating "force posture initiatives at Australian bases."

"Secretary Hegseth emphasized the need for capable allies to contribute to the collective defense and invest in their own sovereign security," it said.

Marles also met with artificial intelligence companies and said announcements on an expanded US military presence were expected in the coming months.

He reaffirmed confidence that Australia would receive its first Virginia-class submarine as planned.

Under the AUKUS agreement, Australia will buy three secondhand Virginia-class submarines from the US in the 2030s, with the first expected to be delivered in 2032.

The US president at the time will have the final approval on whether the sale proceeds, taking into account Washington's own requirements.