US
troops arrive in Top End for Marine Rotational Force Darwin
18
April, 2017
THE
first of 1250 US Marines have begun to touch down in Darwin as they
“stand ready to fight” against North Korea should the situation
escalate.
The
Marines began arriving in Australia’s tropical north on Tuesday for
a six-month deployment during which they will conduct exercises with
Australian and visiting Chinese forces.
Commanding
Officer of Marine Rotational Force Darwin, Lieutenant Colonel Brian
S. Middleton, says the 1250 US Marine deployment to Darwin stands
ready to fight if tensions between his country and North Korea
escalate into direct conflict.
The
25-year annual deployment program started by former U.S. President
Barack Obama in 2011 is part of the U.S. “pivot” to Asia at a
time of increased assertiveness by China.
Lieut.
Colonel Middleton said when US Marines were in forward deployment
they were ready for battle.
“I
think that the commitment that we’ve taken to put a task force here
with a conversation to get larger over the years says that we do
think this is an important region,” Lieut. Colonel Middleton said.
He
is leading the sixth and most complex US marine air-ground task force
to be deployed to the Territory.
“Being
close to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean, the Indo Pacific
position has always been important.”
Along
with the 1250 marines that make up the latest Darwin rotation of US
troops, it will eventually include up to 13 aircraft, four tilt-rotor
Ospreys, five Super Cobra helicopters and four Huey helicopters.
“The
aviation combat element is our most robust deployment to Darwin,”
Lieut. Colonel Middleton said
.
When
asked about the North Korea stand-off he said: “We stand ready to
fight.”
The
marines are from 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment from Camp
Pendleton, California. They will be based at Robertson Barracks, RAAF
Base Darwin and Defence Establishment Berrimah.
Marine
Rotational Force Darwin is mainly a series of joint exercises,
training and exchanges between the US and the Australian Defence
Force, but some exercises will also involve military personnel from
China and other Asian countries.
The
US has rotated a small force of Marines through Darwin since 2012. It
was originally planned to send a full Marine Air-Ground Task Force of
2500 Marines to Australia by 2016, but the timeline has been pushed
back to around 2020.
U.S.
President Donald Trump has ordered the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike
group to sail to near the Korean peninsula as a show of force aimed
at deterring North Korea from conducting more missiles tests.
Pyongyang launched a failed missile test on Sunday and has warned
Washington against taking military action against North Korea.
The
Australia-US-China military exercises are also aimed at Australia
charting a course between its most important security ally the United
States and its biggest trading partner China.
Australia
has drawn rebukes from both superpowers as it tries to strike a
balanced stance on the disputed South China Sea, with China
criticising Australian freedom-of-navigation flights in the area and
a senior U.S. soldier calling on Australia to do more there.
Sergeant David Hudson says it feels great to be in #Darwin after a long trip #US #Marines @abcnews @abcnewsNT
Us Marines Arrive In Darwin For Joint Military Exercises With Australia And China http://dlvr.it/Nw8355
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