Australia Doubles Down on US Alliance as Indo-Pacific Rivalry Intensifies

A major joint exercise dubbed “Southern Jackaroo” is currently underway, involving Australian, American, and Japanese forces training to strengthen defence cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.

“We like to call ourselves America’s 911 response force,” US Marine Kevin Hicks said during the drills.

The scale of the American presence has grown dramatically in recent years. In 2012, just 200 US Marines were deployed to Australia for an annual six-month rotation; today, that figure stands at approximately 2,500.

Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy offers a clear rationale for this buildup. The document warns that “intense competition between major powers – principally the United States and China – will be an enduring feature of our strategic environment,” adding that “China continues to undertake the largest military build-up in the world today, without the transparency or strategic reassurance the region expects.”

The deepening partnership extends beyond personnel to infrastructure. Key bases in the north, most notably RAAF Tindal in the Northern Territory, have been upgraded to support long-range American B-52 bombers.

Yet the AUKUS security pact—which will arm Australia with nuclear-powered submarines—represents the most significant deepening of ties between the US, UK, and Australia.

This approach distinguishes Canberra from other middle powers. While Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has suggested middle powers should reorganize priorities amid concerns over US reliability, Australia appears determined to bind itself even closer to Washington.

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