Two Australian bases in the north-west could be used for US Airforce deployments as the two nations hone their focus on China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Two Australian bases in the north-west could be used for US Airforce deployments as the two nations hone their focus on China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The US Department of Defence has flagged rotational deployments to RAAF’s Learmonth and Curtin bases of US Airforce P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, F35 fighters, and bombers, as well as additional infrastructure investment.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, alongside their Australian counterparts, said the two nations would survey potential upgrades at several northern airbases, including Curtin, and Learmonth.
“The US continues to conduct more frequent rotational deployments to Australia across air, land, and maritime domains, including across northern Australia,” they said.
“Furthering our enhanced air cooperation, the US will continue frequent rotations of bombers, fighter aircraft, and maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, building on previous rotations at RAAF bases Amberley, Darwin, and Tindal.”
An Australian Department of Defence spokesperson said the $18 billion, 10-year northern base investment pipeline would ready the sites for a stronger defence presence.
“This includes upgrades to the RAAF Base Learmonth airfield, which will enable KC-30A multi-role tanker transport operations, including additional runway capacity, in-ground refuelling, and climate resilience measures,” they said.
“During AUSMIN 2024, Australia and the US agreed to further progress our force posture cooperation.
“This includes site surveys for potential upgrades at RAAF bases Curtin, Scherger and Learmonth in support of enhanced air cooperation.”
Exmouth was developed as a US naval base and was famous for being a slice of America in the Western Australian outback, even going so far as accepting US currency.
That on-ground presence has in recent decades all but disappeared, however, cultural ties remain strong, and hope remains US investment and deployment will return.
The US Space Force in December confirmed it was building a $510 million radar in Exmouth under its Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability program to detect and track objects in deep space.
Australia is said to be contributing nearly $2 billion to operate the site over 20 years, according to the ABC.
That announcement came one month after the agency confirmed to Business News it had shelved plans for a low earth orbit Space Fence project by Lockheed-Martin in Exmouth.
Georgiou Group last year won a major contract with the Department of Defence in Exmouth last year but could not say what for.
Business News revealed the company had been rolling dongas into Naval Communication Station Harold E Holt, where sorely needed remediation work is being undertaken.
Electrical infrastructure at the critical submarine communication base was understood to be in a poor state.
Concerns with power cables running between the base and diesel generators at its giant antenna array were rumoured to be behind the decision to end a small cafe’s power supply at a nearby beach.
The federal government is investing nearly $700 million to bolster fuel supply, power, and maritime infrastructure at its Exmouth military bases.
