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US marines and sailors arrive in Australia for new MRF-Darwin rotation

2nd April 2024 - 10:45 GMT | by Shephard News Team

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US Marines unloading baggage from an aircraft at the Royal Australian Air Forces base Darwin in Northern Australia. (Photo: US Department of Defense/Marine Corps Sgt. Cristian L. Bestul)

About 2,000 US marines and sailors will participate in the defence exercise with Australian forces in the Northern Territory. The current MRF-D 24.3 rotation will conclude in October and last for six months.

The US has once again deployed marines and sailors to Australia for the annual six-month marine rotation of Marine Rotational Force Darwin (MRF-D).

The exercise will be led by a marine infantry regime from California for the third year in a row. MRF-D 24.3 will train with the Australian Defense Force along with other regional partners for the 13th time, according to the US Department of Defense.

The cooperation dates back to a 25-year-long agreement made by former US President Barack Obama and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in 2011, which aimed to establish further defence cooperation between the two countries.

The combined training and exercise events were conducted to “contribute to a more stable and secure Info-Pacific”, as stated by a Pentagon Press Secretary during a media briefing.

According to the US Marine Corps, the operations conducted will include expeditionary operations, non-combat evacuation operations, embassy reinforcements, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.