US Military Plans Permanent War-Ready Weapons Stockpile in Victoria
The US military is preparing to establish a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps in Victoria, Australia, located beyond the range of most Chinese missiles, according to tender documents reported by Agence France-Presse.
This initiative marks the first time the Marine Corps will have such a stockpile in Australia. Analysts note that the United States aims to utilize Australia's strategic position in the South Pacific to counter China's rapid military expansion.
The US Marine Corps has a history of global prepositioning of military supplies dating back to the Cold War. This strategy involved floating stores on ships and storage in caves in Norway, where weapons, ammunition, and vehicles sufficient to support thousands of troops were maintained.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the first land stockpile is anticipated to open this year in the Philippines, situated near potential conflict zones in the South China Sea.
Recent documents released by the US Navy reveal advanced planning for a larger stockpile in Australia. A budget of US$30 million has been allocated to construct warehouses and offices in Victoria dedicated to "critical forward provisioning."
Additional News Updates
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories, followed by Nick Visser with the main updates.
As mentioned, the US military is moving forward with plans for a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps in Victoria, beyond the reach of most Chinese missiles, according to reports released this morning.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan faced challenging questions on ABC’s 7.30 program last night. She was pressed on issues including the decline in Labor's support and allegations of union corruption. Further details on this will be provided later.
Additionally, Pauline Hanson, founder of One Nation, is scheduled to address the National Press Club in Canberra today. This will be her first speech at the club in her three decades of political involvement, coinciding with her party reaching record highs in polling.
