The US, Japan, and Australia agreed on Sunday to increase trilateral military cooperation as Washington is working to boost alliances in the region as part of its plans to prepare for a future war with China.
Defense ministers from the three countries, including US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, met in Darwin, Australia, which is home to a US military base that’s being expanded to house US B-52 long-range bombers.
The defense ministers announced the three militaries will begin conducting trilateral amphibious military drills starting in 2025 during Australia’s biennial Talisman Sabre, which has gotten much bigger in recent years.
Australia will also send troops to participate in Orient Shield, an annual training exercise that takes place in Japan and involves US and Japanese troops. Last year, a new US-backed military pact between Australia and Japan that makes it easier for the two countries to deploy troops to each other’s territory came into effect.
The US, Japan, and Australia also announced their goal is to conduct a trilateral live-fire exercise during Talisman Sabre by 2027. “The inaugural trilateral regional air and missile defense live-fire event at Exercise Talisman Sabre 2027 will be a key milestone,” the ministers said.
The US military is openly preparing for a future direct conflict with China despite the risk of nuclear war, and alliance building is key to those plans. Earlier this year, the US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines conducted military drills together in the South China Sea for the first time.
