The US-Australia Force Posture Agreement (FPA) was signed in 2014, following the 2011 announcement by President Obama of the US military “Pivot to Asia”. It lasts for 25 years and can be terminated by either party with one year’s notice.
Article II states: “…this Agreement provides the necessary authorisations for the United States to conduct mutually determined activities under the Force Posture Initiatives in, from or through Australia.
Article IV of the FPA states: “United States Forces and United States Contractors shall have unimpeded access to and use of Agreed Facilities and Areas for activities undertaken in connection with this Agreement”
and: “Australia hereby grants to the United States operational control of Agreed Facilities and Areas.”
Part 3 of Article VII states: “As mutually determined by the Parties, aircraft, vehicles, and vessels operated by or for United States Forces shall have access to aerial ports and seaports of Australia and other locations, for the delivery to, storage and maintenance in, and removal from the territory of Australia of United States Forces’ prepositioned materiel.”
The FPA has thus enabled:
Basing in Darwin of 2,500 or more US Marines each year - not under Australian control - taking their orders from US Indo-Pacific regional command in Darwin); establishment of a US Airforce operations centre in Darwin.
training with the Australian Defence Forces and taking part in the Talisman Sabre war exercises (apparently focused on a potential war against China).
transiting and stationing of US aircraft at the Tindal and Darwin RAAF bases. This includes the stationing of six B52 bombers. Some B52s are capable of carrying nuclear weapons and can fly to China and back without refuelling on the ground.
U.S. nuclear-capable B52 bomber taking off from RAAF Base Darwin under access arrangements of the FPA. (Photo: NT News)
setting up storage depots for fuel, spare parts, bombs and other munitions in the NT and in Bandiana (Vic) (proposed).
Under the FPA, huge US fuel storage facilities at East Arm, Darwin, to power the B52 bombers (Photo: Justin Tutty)
IPAN sought details of the “Agreed Facilities and Areas”. The Secretary for Defence replied that those details are contained in an MOU signed in 2015 by the US Defence Secretary and Australia’s Minister for Defence, “not publicly available due to its classification.” So, we don’t know which areas or facilities in Australia are under direct US control. But some are.
US bases in Australia include: H E Holt Exmouth, NAVCOMMSTA, Northwest Cape, WA; Pine Gap, Alice Springs, NT; Robertson Barracks, Darwin, NT; Area A, Exmouth, Northwest Cape, WA; Kojarena, Intel and Communications site, near Geraldton, WA; Area C, Northwest Cape, WA; Tindal Air Base, NT, (B.52 bomber hangers plus an adjacent site whose purpose is presently unknown); RAAF bases at Curtin and Scherger; Storage facility at Bandiana (proposed); fuel storage facility at East Arm Darwin; US Intelligence operatives imbedded in Defence Intelligence, Canberra.
To this list should be added HMAS Stirling, Fleet Base West.
AUSMIN 2023 stated that Through Enhanced Maritime Cooperation there will be more and longer visits of US nuclear submarines to HMAS Stirling in WA from 2023. These visits are in preparation for Submarine Rotational Force-West involving UK and US nuclear submarines porting and servicing under the AUKUS Agreement.
Basing of nuclear- powered submarines close to a population area poses serious health hazards from possible radiation leaks.
US Virginia class nuclear powered submarines (SSNs) are US marines, deployed under the FPA, arriving in scheduled for rotation at HMAS Stirling, WA (program Darwin for Talisman Sabre war exercises with the SRF- West) which falls under the FPA. (Photo: Wikipedia) ADF
So many of these US initiatives under the FPA have been done in secret with the Australian public being kept in the dark. Attempts by IPAN and others to gain further details continue to be frustrated.
Join the IPAN Campaign to terminate the FPA at: www.ipan.org.au