Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Molan for his question. The 2018 Marine Rotational Force will be the largest and most complex of the rotations to date. It will include 1,587 US marines, which is an increase of more than 300 on last year's rotation; eight Osprey rotor aircraft; and an artillery battery of six howitzers. During the major exercises of the rotation, additional equipment will be included, comprising helicopters, F/A-18 hornets and an MC-130 Hercules aircraft. It's fair to say that, as the senator well knows, Australia and the US have a longstanding history of working together to promote security and stability across the region, and this seventh rotation is a strong reinforcement of that relationship. The presence of US military forces in our region is vital to Australia's defence interests and is essential to the preservation of stability and security in the Indo-Pacific over the coming decades to which I've referred.

As part of the US-Australia Force Posture Initiatives, the marine rotation provides us with new opportunities for engagement with regional partners and better positions both of our nations to respond to crises and contingencies in the region. During the six-month training period, the marines are expected to participate in a range of 15 training activities alongside the ADF. Regional nations, including Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and potentially others, will observe or participate in training activities. The US military plays that vital role in underwriting security and stability across the Indo-Pacific, and the FPI is an essential component in that. I'd also note that in the last week we've seen at least 50 US marines here in Darwin as part of the rotation advance party working alongside ADF personnel to assist in the post Cyclone Marcus clean-up in that city, which has been a very productive, cooperative exercise as well.