Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #AUSMIN
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The #AUKUS Submarine Rotational Forces-West is the most important near-term contribution to bolstering deterrence in the Western Pacific in the entire AUKUS construct--and one of the most significant US and allied force posture steps in recent years. A short 🧵1/ 
From 2027, the US and UK will build a rotational force of 4 Virginias & 1 Astute at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. Assuming US subs come from CONUS -- rather than Guam -- and all 5 subs are present, this would double the number of allied SSNs west of the dateline by 2031 2/
This kind of increase normally takes years. Currently, the US has 6 Virginias and 6 LA-class in Hawaii and 5 LA-class in Guam. Getting Guam from 0-3, then 3-5 subs wasn't easy. As AUS' Virginias come online from 2032, allied SSNs in West Pacific will reach 20 boats. That's big 3/
1/ This year's #AUSMIN is a wrap. On Indo-Pacific defence and security, its a lop-sided outcome. Ongoing progress on force posture integration, but little on AUS' push for US support to empower its defence industrial base in aid of the alliance. Short 🧵: defense.gov/News/Releases/…
2/ As expected, AUSMIN fleshed out some of the big force posture enhancements laid out in 2021. Progress here is incremental. For Air Force, it's more of the same infrastructure buildup and rotations. For Navy and Army, no specifics are agreed to yet, which is surprising.
3/ On the logistics, sustaining and maintenance front, there's more tangible progress. Prepositioning warstocks and preparing bare bases/airfields for military rotations is essential for distributing US forces and leveraging Aus strategic geography.
1/ This year’s Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (#AUSMIN) are taking place today with a focus on collective deterrence in the Indo-Pacific. I expect the alliance to accelerate down this path. But it must also attend to the challenges this involves 🧵
smh.com.au/politics/feder…
smh.com.au/politics/feder…
2/ For context, the Australia-US alliance has become the pace setter for regional efforts to balance China’s power, bolster America’s eroding strategic position, and deepen integration btw allies and partners to collectively defend the Indo-Pacific order. iiss.org/publications/s…
3/ Nowhere is this agenda more apparent than in the rapid expansion of US-Australia force posture initiatives, which recently attracted a lot of attention when news “broke” about Canberra’s decision to support US bomber operations from northern Australia.
BIG NEWS: There's a force posture nugget in #AUSMIN presser.
Looks like new Australia-United States military bases are on the horizon, which will include a naval component for sustaining combined submarines and surface fleet.
Looks like new Australia-United States military bases are on the horizon, which will include a naval component for sustaining combined submarines and surface fleet.
The just-released #AUSMIN statement reinforces this.
Major expansion of allied force posture initiatives to include AIR, LAND and SEA elements. Latter is overdue and critical for regional security.
The focus on logistics, sustainment, maintenance is essential for US position.
Major expansion of allied force posture initiatives to include AIR, LAND and SEA elements. Latter is overdue and critical for regional security.
The focus on logistics, sustainment, maintenance is essential for US position.
Leveraging Australia's strategic geography to support a more robust US forward military position in the Indo-Pacific is important for ensuring a favourable balance of power in light of China's rising A2AD challenge. This @USSC map shows why.
THREAD: After yesterday’s #AUKUS plan to deepen defence industrial base integration tailored to Indo-Pacific priorities, today's #AUSMIN presser signals an ambitious collective defence agenda — much of which we have recommended in @USSC reports. 1/
ussc.edu.au/analysis/state…
ussc.edu.au/analysis/state…
Big things flagged by Austin and Duton:
1) Major force posture initiatives to expand US access and presence in Australia
2) Agree to take immediate steps to improve interoperability through deeper integration
We cover extensively here: ussc.edu.au/analysis/avert… 2/
1) Major force posture initiatives to expand US access and presence in Australia
2) Agree to take immediate steps to improve interoperability through deeper integration
We cover extensively here: ussc.edu.au/analysis/avert… 2/
3) Reaffirmed our commitment to expanding multilateral efforts especially with Japan…and India
4) Greater air coop through rotational deployment of US military aircraft of all types through Australia
We also cover here: ussc.edu.au/analysis/state… 3/
4) Greater air coop through rotational deployment of US military aircraft of all types through Australia
We also cover here: ussc.edu.au/analysis/state… 3/
Great meeting with @SecPompeo, Australian MinDef @lindareynoldswa and Foreign Minister @MarisePayne to reaffirm the enduring bonds, deep friendship and close alliance between the U.S. and Australia.
We are working together to ensure a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific that is stable, secure and safeguards the rules-based international order. #AUSMIN #Mateship
