Darwin is a brilliant base. Turn left and you are in the Indian Ocean, turn right the Pacific Ocean, go straight ahead South China Sea. Plus there are enormous training areas available around Darwin. PS: No one surfs in Darwin. It’s the only capital city in Australia where humans are not the apex predator. If crocodiles could fly we would all be dead.
@@Kalliasto plenty of crocs love those surfers bro. it's also not really legal to feck about with or near crocs. so if you are surfing (in winter as summer is non existent waves unless tropical cyclonic weather....lol) and they are there what you think is gonna happen. if they eat you the authorities will try to locate it but you think they get them all the times? LOL.
Let's be realistic. The Marines will all be at the Nude Beach Wes noted early in the video. The surfboard would likely get damaged if a pretty girl shows up...
Earlier this year the marines from MRF-D came aboard my ship HMAS Adelaide for a training cruise from Darwin to Townsville and it was fantastic. We had a full barbecue in the hangar and we all got up to sing country roads take me home during a drunken karaoke night on board. Love these guys! - from an Australian sailor.
Australia just announced it will produce 4,000 GMLRS annually from 2029 - more than a quarter of current global production. Plus 15,000 rounds of 155mm M795 shells each year by 2028, able to scale to 100,000 for 'global consumption'. First such facilities outside the US.
I don't think Australians would accept relying on 16k Marines for our own or the alliance's defence. A constant mantra in Australia since the Putin-XJP threat materialised is (as a major beneficiary of the China trade) we have to contribute more than our fair share to the alliance. Australian exercises like Pitch Black and Talisman Sabre have been growing in size. The last Pitch Black, flown out of Darwin, Tindal and Amberley RAAF bases, was the largest ever, with 20 nations and 140 aircraft attending. That goes diplomatically too - in the last 5 years Australia has signed new military agreements with the US, UK, Japan, Indonesia, PNG, Pacific states and NATO, apart from Aukus and NATO generally focused on sorting out mutual military access and training arrangements. Another little-known agreement is Australia’s longstanding defensive pact with the UK, NZ, Malaysia and Singapore, a legacy of the Malaya Emergency in the 1950s. Australia, NZ, Japan and ROK also now regularly attending NATO's high level policy bodies.
How long do you think 15,000 rounds of 155mm shells would last once the shooting starts? No one learns from history. Australia (and the West generally) enters every war WOEFULLY under-prepared. It took from 1914 to mid 1917 before the UK could manufacture enough HE artillery shells that their artillery wasn't restricted as to how many they could fire each day / campaign. Dream on.
That 15,000 is just the new factory we have another older factory and their building another factory and theirs probably another factory I’ve forgotten about that’s being closed it’s gotten progressively hard to actually find the information for obvious reasons
I served on active duty with the Marines from 1971 to 1979. I now live permanently in Australia…we’ve ha a couple thousand Marines on shore for the last few years..on a rotational training basis with the Australian Defense Force. 16000 Marines is significant number… nearly Division Strength. But that also likely include an air presence as well as logistics. I welcome my old Devil Dogs to AUS…….SEMPER FI MATE!
First to fight and have NEVER lost a war! I am an Australian ex serviceman and I say this. The bloke you want most fighting along side you on the battlefield is a United States Marine. They will be very welcome mate. God bless America and thank Christ for Australia…
I ran into a bunch in a pub in Rockhampton when I was passing through for work to stay the night. They'd just done Talisman Sabre and were Japan based. Great bunch, they had a strict curfew which was a shame but we had a great few beers together.
Aussie here. I live about 10 clicks from RAAF Amberley which is the main logistics hub for the ADF. Our globemasters, FA18s and F35s operate from here and in the last year I have noticed an increased US presence in our skies. I literally had a B2 Sprirt stealth bomber fly over my son's place in Brisbane at night and it was completely silent. There was not a single sound out of this massive beast. All I could think was thank god they're on our side. I'd be more than happy having a permanent USMC presence in our nation. Let them station as many of those guys who'll come. We kept 4000 of your pacific theatre KIAs from WW2 safe in our local cemetery until they could be repatriated in 1948. When they have rested in our soil they become one of us. USMC is always welcome here. Never met a US marine who wasn't an incredibly polite, respectful and absolutely deadly man.
I agree 100% i was on a base as an army cadet camp and i saw a few Canadians as well I didn’t see any US soldiers though i wish i did thanks for reading. God bless.
I have just come across your channel Wes and so far have only watched this vlog. I have to say, as an Aussie I appreciate your praise and appreciation of our Defence Force 👍 thank you! I also love the humour and subtle teasing you bring to what is a very serious topic 😂 US Defence personnel are always welcome here. 🇦🇺🇺🇸 #StrongerTogether #FreeandOpenIndoPacific
(USMC combat vet) just want to say we see Australia as our legit brothers. There's noooo doubt in my mind that if anybody at all had the nuts to wage war on Australia they have our boys standing side by side with the kangaroo kids to the end. In turn its obvious that if the US has China problems in the future we have Australia ready to make it clear we together are the dominant Force in the Pacific for the foreseeable future. War is shit and should always be avoided. But if you're going to fight one bring friends who know how to fight and Australia proves they can throw down with the best.
Bravo Zulu Brothers. Contrary to the Vocal Minority, we Proudly Welcome the United States Military with Open Arms. And Treasure Our Eternal Alliance. May God Bless America.
We train with US Forces (Marine Rotational Force Darwin - on FB, etc), NZDF, India, Japan and our wantoks (friends) in Papua New Guinea - The PNGDF, the Pacific nations, and Indonesia. We pray for peace, but history shows to prepare, in case. We hope West Taiwan is able to stay peaceful with Taiwan 2025-27+
Im Australian and i worry because it's Biden administration. If Trump was CIC I would not worry. I do not trust the Biden administration. I'm Trump all day everyday ❤
In 1942 the US lost 13,000 troops and the entire Far East Air Force, in part because the Phillipines where they were stationed, lacked depth and space for strategic manoeuvre. Only a tiny proportion of the far east force was able to fall back. Australia solves that problem by providing a rear base from which to project force forward.
@@DonaldAtherton-l7u unfortunately it's not new. Australian conspiracy theorists have always been yapping about the UN invading Australia or something.
The idea of 16k marines with more guns than they should be allowed to have camping out in the northern Territory makes me feel very safe from Brisbane.
Australian soldiers are so highly trained that I would go as far as to say one Australian soldier is worth 20 Chinese soldiers, even when only considering basic Australian infantry. The Australian SASR and Commandos operate on very different levels.
@ I’m sorry mate but that’s a terrible rebuttal The Taliban are horrible fighters that lost 95% of the engagements they were in. Literally all they did was hide in the hills Take pit shots and strap bombs to kids They are not an effective fighting force America left They didn’t kick them out Get your facts right
There's a strategic mistake. The Chinese have been buying up airfields all over Australia, and buying residential properties, farms and vital infrastructure. Australia's population is now about 40% Asian. The CCP has been infiltrating the country for decades. China has also muscled their way into Antarctica even encroaching on Australian territory. They've bought and taken over an island off the QLD coast and an international airport in southern West Australia. The CCP is doing a soft takeover of Australia. 16,000 troops on the northern coastline may make a difference but the fox is already in the hen house.
In times of war contracts don't mean crap. Do you think Aussies would say "oh they're invading, they have a contract on that port.. better see r let them use it" 😂
@@jakotaeyou don’t get it do You. They know China will take Australia so they are selling up the entire nation to them for profits before they do. It’s basically a legally sound land transfer and the war will be the cover for the depopulation of the current society and the new government and land title.
"Pitch Black" is not a US exercise. Pitch Black is a biennial exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and multiple countries are invited to attend. This year (2024) 20 countries (including the USA) with 140 aircraft participated making it the largest Pitch Black exercise ever held.
And afterwards the Luftwaffe announced a permanent presence for training. Pitch Black provides the best airspace and infrastructure in the world to air forces to train.
and how that gonna happen. I mean honestly the youth are indifferent or peaceniks and the new people are similar to the people we want war with... so where are these new assets coming from? magic isn't a legit answer.
@@UltraRealTrueJesus Absolutely right can you imagine trying to recruit a defensive force from today's easily offended snowflakes. That's why nations around the world are in full production to incorporate AI intelligence into their armed forces.`
Hate to tell u ..ppl in Australia aren’t rushing to join why! One pay isn’t great..I’m a wife of a Vietnam vet the time my husband served 22 years as army infantry then ordnance ..daughter served 4 years ..I was military wife for 15 years..young ppl are finding it’s not good..most will do a short service..
@@dianagiles9467 Cool, so you didn't serve. Point? Defense spending is being increased, more so when the LNP get it. Retention bonuses are through the roof at the moment.
Bring them Marines on nothing like keeping our alliance strong. Loved having them around our area a year ago during Exercises. We need to bolster our North and Northwest Western Australia.
The Marines should have a Battle Group in Australia. Having a Company or Battalion is OK for rotational training but if we`re really going to do this, you need to station a legit force.
@@TheHsan22 I`m possibly speaking Australianese but what we call a battle group, is basically 3 battallions inf, armour, artillery and support battalion etc etc. Exact numbers aren`t important but since you`re down here it should be a self contained force, not some embedded oddity that needs support.
@@loufrost824Mate, the Marines bring everything with them. A force of 16K will be totally self sustaining and include all the support elements it requires.
@@tlevans62 I`m all for it. We`ll have lefty types saying "we`re an independant country blah blah blah". But it is what it is and probably for the best if the Americans are here good to go!
That’d be cool, an acre of mobile Merican sovereignty plus jets! Australia should ask to buy the new B21 bomber to help out and replace the bombers and carriers we used to have.
US troops always welcome here in Australia. Defensively the best strategy for the current global tensions is to prepare. Better to have prepared and not needed to, than not have prepared and wish we had
The common misconception is that the Australian and US Army's have rarely have worked together, and that they would be incompatible as a fighting force together has been proven to be incorrect in recent times. The joint operation on the Island of Bouganville in the Pacific War in WW2, and the joint governance of Lon Tan province in the Vietnam conflict in that province showed this to be a fact that two very different groups can work together if they both show common sense, and have common goals. Please see Dr D. Waller's paper on the recent proposed plan to open up a joint base in Darwin.
Australian and US forces have operated together since Hamel in WW1, They fought together in the Pacific theatre in WW2 under Gen. Douglas McCarther especially during the New Guinea campaign the US often provided aerial, logistical and naval support for Australian ground troops., They also fought side by side in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan to name a few, The Australians were based in Phuoc Tuy province, Long Tan was actually a rubber plantation where they inflicted a defeat against overwhelming odds with Australian, NZ and US artillery units supporting them. The 2 countries are constantly holding military drills together along with their other allies. Major excercises such as Talisman Sabre and Pitch Black are hosted jointly by Australia and the US in Northern Australia every 2 years involving thousands of troops along with assets from many nations. The US Marines Darwin Rotational Force constantly train with their Australian couterparts in the 6 months that they are stationed here and they usually take advantage of training in places such as the ADFs specialised jungle warfare facility near Townsville to hone their skills in environments that probably arent available back home.. The Australian weapons systems are mostly procurred from the US and one of the main reasons for that is to maintain interoperability between 2 close allies...A US SSN has just come into the HMAS Stirling Naval Base in Fremantle Western Australia for maintenance to be carried out by the RAN as training for them on that technology, Australian personel are often embedded into different branches of the US military and there are currently sailors serving on US nucleat submarines in preparation for the RAN operating their own SSNs.
NOOOOO!!! End AUKUS dude. Australia has no issue with china, they are our biggest trade partner. I don’t feel like being conscripted because America feels like it
We need a Trump to lead here.Pauline's good but her policies need clearer definition.Yes,Americans welcome , especially with Trump at the helm.He's strong and has common sense.No nonsense guy with intelligence balanced with great advisors and quality leadership coming along with him.China may be a good trading partner but beware,they have their sites set on us in various and devious ways.We need to be vigilant and prevent war.Don't trust them EVER!!
from what I have remember that it was been in the works since 2005-2007. there were talks in a marine base being placed in outskirts of my hometown Townsville.
When stationed with the 25th ID at Schofield we sent (1989) an infantry company and a mixed platoon of 1 squad of combat engineers with the rest of it consisting of MI, MP, Arty, S&T. The medics were supplied by the Aussie Army reserve. We did 4 weeks of jungle training by their WOs at their Warfare Centre in Canungra, NSW. The remaining 2 weeks were at Holsworthy Barracks, Liverpool, QLD. At the time, the 25th were the jungle experts. I know that the 25th has split up and their brigades are at different locations but why the Marines? Because of the South Pacific islands? Any ideas. Also, IIRC, the engineers had a captain from the Aussie Army at Schofield.
Marines have had a long history with the Australians even before The rotational force Darwin became a thing. Marine Expeditionary Units have been visiting OZ with the Navy for decades.
@@TheLAGopher Thanks. I guessed the Navy visits was the reason. When I was Holsworthy Barracks (Liverpool basically a suburb of Sydney) we would go to the clubs in Kings Cross. When dancing, the guy ask if we were Navy, told him Army and he was surprised. Told him they had a unit in Hawai'i. The 25th did all the Pacific exercises back then.
@@colinflenley1203 A couple of us even got invited to Canberra, ACT. The over reminded me of the back hills of home (San Diego). Even visited the Hill. Other than the US, Australia would be my choice of where to live.
We should lay up our previous-generation aircraft in the desert like the Americans do. Never know when you might need aircraft in a hurry and not everything has to be the latest. The Americans use their older models for home defence or even new versions of older models like F15-EX.
Oh we now have regular visits to the RAAF Base Amberley near here from B2 Stealth Bombers now. But we do miss the pigs as they were a hell of a lot quieter than the damn C 17s we have that fly up to 2230hrs over the city.
Australia and America have been bros since the Battle of Hamel, where on the 4th of July 1918 an Australian Lead coalition force of Aussies, US and Brits fought against the Germans. We won that battle in less than 93 minutes which for WWI was kind of a big deal 😎Australia has fought along side the US in many major conflicts since. 1st Marines march to Waltzing Matilda which is an Australian Folk song. They adopted it when they came to Australia After the Guadalcanal Campaign to rest and regroup/reorg. The Stars on their patch are the Southern Cross, the constellation that is seen in our night sky and is on the Australian National Flag. My Dad served in Vietnam and I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (along with Bougainville, East timor twice and Padang) Marines are Feral creatures so they fit right in down here 😜
Your history knowledge speaks well of you Michael. I'm pretty sure that at that battle the Aussie General, Monash, was the only non-American general who has ever actually been given command over USA forces. Like, ever. That's big, and the trust that it shows is important. I've wandered over the SBTA with various bunches of Marines on Ex's Tallisman Sabre, and was ever impressed - they own the battlefield, and totally accept Aussies as their brothers in arms.
America has always been our allies for years..yes DARWIN has a big base..there’s also a base in Townsville in QLD..during world war 2 -small bases were set up in a lot of areas..one is Wallangara QLD..tank traps were setup not far from there. Signs are up indicating these tank traps..sadly a lot of these little bases have closed ..
Wes, I really dig your videos. You offer an insightful and educated view while also being light hearted, non dogmatic and without condescention. Keep up the great work.
Australia and the U.S. have fought together in every significant military conflict since World War I. Albiet, that our American allies have been a little slow coming to the party in the two largest conflicts, WWI and WWII. During WWII, the Australian army trained a number of U.S. troops in jungle warfare as well as schooling the U.S. in urbane warfare during the "Battle of Brisbane". I tend to feel that the more Australian and U.S. militaries train and work together the more effective and co-ordinated they will be in any future conflicts. Edit: Please note for future reference, the picture of the "dunny" you flashed up wasn't a run of the mill 'dunny" It was a classic 'thunder box'.
Exercise Pitch Black is a biennial three week RAAF multi-national large force employment exercise and Exercise Predators Run 2024 is an ADF multilateral combined arms exercise held in the Northern Territory, Australia. Whilst there is a large US presence in both exercises, neither are 'Marine' exercises.
There are already over 50,000 American troops stationed in Australia preparing for China to attack Taiwan, they have been increasing the size of the American Air Force bases so they can accommodate more and larger aircraft. China has been monitoring what is happening in Australia for the past 20 years using their spy submarines, around 20 incursions are monitored every week and around 5 years ago, over 20 submarines were detected in Australian waters during a single day. The American navy will struggle against China's submarines and there has been over a hundred underwater entrances discovered along the Chinese coastline that are large enough to accommodate submarines of all sizes but what the entrances are connected to is still a mystery. China is currently conducting "training" that has the Chinese navy encircling Taiwan so I think that they are waiting for the American election so they can start their attack on Taiwan if Trump gains power or the Republican party starts a civil war.
@@itt2055 that's true. China only targets the USA but having them here in Australia is a big mistake. Australia is not at war with China and China is not a threat to Australia unless provoking China
Australia and the USA have been regularly doing exercises together and with other allies for decades now . Tindal base can easily handle Galaxy planes, we have now hosted the B2 Stealth Bombers here at nearby RAAF AMBERLEY base and they only recently departed for home bases. There is huge cooperation between Australia and the USA going back to WWII. The Apollo Moon landing was streamed to the world from here.
It is showing, though 80 years late, the lessons of WWII were learned. Having fighting forces staged in the Pacific would have saved time and lives. The US did a pretty good job in the late 20th century, but with the base closures and troop reductions in Japan and the Philippines, readiness in the Pacific has waned.
Australia was second only to the UK as a base for American operations in WWII with around one million US servicemen passing through including virtually all of MacArthur's forces to return to the Philippines. From there the US 6th and 8th armies, which had also spent time in Australia and New Guinea, would have spearheaded the planned invasion of Japan; Operations Olympic and Coronet. As a matter of comparison, around two million passed through the UK. This would be a significant deployment because Australia has had a policy of not allowing large concentrations of foreign forces, including allies such as the USA or UK, on our soil since 1945.
@@garynew9637 they wont because they think that conflict matters. it doesn't. world powers are talking and it'd appear they are saying a conflict in east Asia... soon. therefore those crying about certain ongoing wars means they are about to start yapping about the new conflagration instead. but unawares they are left behind as media is moving toward that narrative...
My farts stink and they are loud, I tend to get that after coronas but I haven’t had a corona in years. I had that kale slaw mix from Woolies with some fish. It was tasty, I feel like Kamala Harris.
Say, why is your studio lighting so weirdly dim... and the contrast washed out? It doesnt look very. It looks hard to look at. It is especially dubious to have your AWACS spot lighted while you're hidden in the shadow. That said I like tour abstract color blob hexagon things and how they center you. Good job on that part.
04:45 It wasn't Battalion sized. It was a Cdo Company (from 2 Cdo and later 1 Cdo), a Squadron of SAS (2 Sqn predominantly with reinforcements from specialists in 1 Sqn), some Combat Engineers, Signallers, Medics and some Loggies - all working on disparate tasks. This piece, I think, over shadows the UK forces working in Helmand where they performed a Brigade attack, their first since WWII, and they were limited to 1,000 soldiers.
Australia is pretty safe from invasion, any landing force would be vulnerable because their supply lines would be over or on the water. The problem is a sophisticated opponent wouldn't need to set foot in Australia to destroy its way of life. All an opponent needs is long range X-to-ground missiles and it could hurt Australia. This is why Australia is investing in long range missiles like the SM-6, GLMRS, Naval strike missile and Tomahawk's However a country with a capable carrier battle group and a way to flood the country with tanks could potentially do it, but why would they so far from their territory when there are other "easier pickings".
Invading Australia would be suicide for 99% of countries, including China... a single carrier group wouldn't even get close... This video explains it thoroughly: th-cam.com/video/R47OJTgKYeo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7OdbhcB4X8xGVqtJ
we are the "mine" of the world. this gives us strategic advantage over peer or rival powers. we are also a "foodbowl" that feeds a good portion of the entire planet with pure foodstuff. noting these two a conflict is very unlikely onshore mainland AU.
@@UltraRealTrueJesus The word is interconnected. Its not like the 1940s anymore where for the most part a country relied on itself. The global pandemic showed that with supply chain issues. If there is a war with China, Australia would stop sending it's exports to China, and China would do the same, for goods that we don't even know we rely on China for.
@@dexterplameras3249You have a far more grounded take than some of the warmongers out there using China to justify the exorbitant taxes they are levying from the citizens. If China wants to do anything to Australia, it will be through soft power, and we have seen that a few times as diplomatic ties thawed and froze between Australia and China a few times in the past few years. The PLA invading Australia? All it takes is a look at their MREs to know that the Chinese soldier can’t go a day away from their base Dining facility without starving to death and that’s fine because Chinese doctrine doesn’t require them to.
As an American who has lived in Australia it became obvious to me that the relationship between USA and AUS is a big brother (USA), little brother (AUS) which can cause some frictions but don't mess with little brother unless you want big brother to beat your ass.
The first thing is they have to be schooled in Australian wildlife. We had a US Soldier who found these little worms. He caught 9 of them & put them in his sleeping bag. He didn't wake up in the morning. What he had put in his sleeping bag were Death Adders. They are only small. About 3 on the most lethal Snakes in the World.
Yeh bs, those things are short, and squat of build, ambush strikers, lay in wait with a wriggly tail tip, definitely not amenable to being picked up ciz they're always ready to strike if that tailtip is wriggling like a worm. Oh, and their strike is pretty fast.
When I was a kid growing up in fifties Australia I always knew of an empty beer bottle as a ‘dead marine’.This referred to the endless drunk marines in ww2 found in the parks and streets of Brisbane and no doubt other Australian cities.The beer was strong and marines suffered from battle,malaria and other numerous medical prescriptions.I still call an empty beer bottle this today.
Ah, an intelligent realist. Well said topendgold. We need a policy of armed neutrality, defended with the world's best missiles. We do not need invasion machinery.
@gvibration1 my mate, who is ex Brit and Aust Army, had both of his sons rejected, they both wanted to be infantry like their dad, but Army was recruiting only females at the time, to fill the quotas. Now 1 is a cop, the other in a similar occupation, a response squad for Corrections in another state. Of course we could recruit those positions. I joined in 1985, we 32000 soldiers then, and a population of 17 million. Now we have a population of 27 million, and an Army of 28000!
Not Darwin you wouldn't mate. It's vitally important at a strategic level due to it's location BUT it's hot, humid and cyclone prone year round. Plus forget going near the water, there are massive crocodiles that you can see from the beaches and if they don't get you the sharks and box jellyfish will. Plus a lot of homeless aboriginals who at night will beat and rob anyone out walking anywhere.
I wish Australia would stay the fuck out of this. War is terrible and for what??????? The people that abide by the laws of the political elite are the ones that will suffer. I don’t want to fight with anyone, and I don’t want my son being dragged into this mess. Please let’s just mind our own business Australia 🇦🇺 Love from Tamworth 🇦🇺
@philoconnell7706 I couldn't agree more. I hate war, Australia is a neutral country. American Marines should go back to America and defend it from their own government
As a structural engineer, I designed some of the buildings at Waler Barracks, which in turn became Robinson Barracks. At the time there was, and I'm probably going to get the correct military names wrong, 2nd Cavalry in place and I was designing the buildings for the 1st Armoured Regiment. The rest of what is now the base was basically scrub. The buildings in question are the ones bounded by Puckapunyal Rd & Lighthorse Dr. I had a great time in Darwin. There are a lot of worse places in the world to watch the sun go down than the bar at the Yacht Club :) As I'm typing this, you mentioned Larrakeyah- I did some structural work there as well.
That is almost a division's worth of marines. No one in Australia asked for this. We don't want foreign militaries occupying Australian bases and using them to run their combat sorties for missions that have nothing to do with the Australian interest. Why can't they just go back to the US.
Our DSR (Defence Review Strategy) has us shifting from a "balanced force" ( which did well supporting action in Iraq and Afganistan) to a "focussed force" where we shift our defence more deliberately to countering China in our own back yard. It means a reduction in the Army, an army that is more marine adjusted, less aggressive purchases in the Airforce - to allow shit-load spending in the Navy. With that happening, having a force of US Marines based in NT sounds like a brilliant move. Works for me, anyway.
As a fromer Marine, I'm furious I'm not gonna be a part of this. However knowing how the Marine Corps corps likes to choose bases, im glad im not going to what ever useless hell hole our Ozy cousins are forcing upon the enlisted
Darwin is perfect for a marine. 90%+ humidity for half the year, 36C+ for half the year, all day all night. Ocean temps are about the same for half the year too, so no refreshment there. At least you have a lot of room to spread out and play games, and a bunch of kangaroos to shoot!
@@PAL3Tigerrr okay, well the cutback is not due to marines basing in darwin, it is due to people not joining. The ADF cannot fill positions, the ADF never intended to amalgamate a infantry battalion and re-role an armoured regiment. Also it is 1000 job positions that have been cut (they were empty) not 2000. Also the 10th brigade which is based around artillery will be raised in the next few years and will actually add 2k or so positions, so provided we can fill them, the army will actually expand.
Deploying a bigger contingent of US troops to Australia will not help reduce the country's economic reliance on China for more than 35% of its exports to pay for the cost of nuclear submarines and, potentially, the cost of housing and maintaining US troops stationed on Australian soil.
It can't be a coincidence that a few years ago I remember here in Australia we had the same number 16,000 Russian soldiers they had some dark op placement up there. It was around the time people noticed they could see them and there location with fitbits. Odd how I could only find proof of 10,000 or so leaving. 🤔
Darwin is a brilliant base. Turn left and you are in the Indian Ocean, turn right the Pacific Ocean, go straight ahead South China Sea. Plus there are enormous training areas available around Darwin. PS: No one surfs in Darwin. It’s the only capital city in Australia where humans are not the apex predator. If crocodiles could fly we would all be dead.
No good waves near Darwin.
@@Kalliasto you from Darwin? there are some surfers, but definitely not plenty. Waves arent that great, plus crocs and jellyfish.
@@Kalliasto plenty of crocs love those surfers bro. it's also not really legal to feck about with or near crocs. so if you are surfing (in winter as summer is non existent waves unless tropical cyclonic weather....lol) and they are there what you think is gonna happen. if they eat you the authorities will try to locate it but you think they get them all the times? LOL.
Turn left and there’s a Chinese owned warf. Someone should have gone to jail for that.
Let's be realistic.
The Marines will all be at the Nude Beach Wes noted early in the video.
The surfboard would likely get damaged if a pretty girl shows up...
Earlier this year the marines from MRF-D came aboard my ship HMAS Adelaide for a training cruise from Darwin to Townsville and it was fantastic. We had a full barbecue in the hangar and we all got up to sing country roads take me home during a drunken karaoke night on board. Love these guys! - from an Australian sailor.
That song and those yarns are mint. What is the Aussie version of sempra fi ????
I watch too much NCIS and should get to bed - early start.
Australia just announced it will produce 4,000 GMLRS annually from 2029 - more than a quarter of current global production. Plus 15,000 rounds of 155mm M795 shells each year by 2028, able to scale to 100,000 for 'global consumption'. First such facilities outside the US.
I once heard a US officer compare the ADF to the Reichswehr. Small but intellectually cutting edge.
I don't think Australians would accept relying on 16k Marines for our own or the alliance's defence. A constant mantra in Australia since the Putin-XJP threat materialised is (as a major beneficiary of the China trade) we have to contribute more than our fair share to the alliance. Australian exercises like Pitch Black and Talisman Sabre have been growing in size. The last Pitch Black, flown out of Darwin, Tindal and Amberley RAAF bases, was the largest ever, with 20 nations and 140 aircraft attending.
That goes diplomatically too - in the last 5 years Australia has signed new military agreements with the US, UK, Japan, Indonesia, PNG, Pacific states and NATO, apart from Aukus and NATO generally focused on sorting out mutual military access and training arrangements. Another little-known agreement is Australia’s longstanding defensive pact with the UK, NZ, Malaysia and Singapore, a legacy of the Malaya Emergency in the 1950s.
Australia, NZ, Japan and ROK also now regularly attending NATO's high level policy bodies.
@@overworlder A Bogan is still a Bogan even when they're in a uniform and then they go join the Police!
How long do you think 15,000 rounds of 155mm shells would last once the shooting starts? No one learns from history. Australia (and the West generally) enters every war WOEFULLY under-prepared. It took from 1914 to mid 1917 before the UK could manufacture enough HE artillery shells that their artillery wasn't restricted as to how many they could fire each day / campaign. Dream on.
That 15,000 is just the new factory we have another older factory and their building another factory and theirs probably another factory I’ve forgotten about that’s being closed it’s gotten progressively hard to actually find the information for obvious reasons
I served on active duty with the Marines from 1971 to 1979. I now live permanently in Australia…we’ve ha a couple thousand Marines on shore for the last few years..on a rotational training basis with the Australian Defense Force. 16000 Marines is significant number… nearly Division Strength. But that also likely include an air presence as well as logistics. I welcome my old Devil Dogs to AUS…….SEMPER FI MATE!
In may be best to reactive a full marine division with a permenant base at Darwin.
First to fight and have NEVER lost a war! I am an Australian ex serviceman and I say this. The bloke you want most fighting along side you on the battlefield is a United States Marine. They will be very welcome mate. God bless America and thank Christ for Australia…
I ran into a bunch in a pub in Rockhampton when I was passing through for work to stay the night. They'd just done Talisman Sabre and were Japan based. Great bunch, they had a strict curfew which was a shame but we had a great few beers together.
@user-jp6xw7sb4u Haha, he said Aus not Nepal 🤣🤣
Goodonya mate - keep up the top work
Aussie here. I live about 10 clicks from RAAF Amberley which is the main logistics hub for the ADF. Our globemasters, FA18s and F35s operate from here and in the last year I have noticed an increased US presence in our skies. I literally had a B2 Sprirt stealth bomber fly over my son's place in Brisbane at night and it was completely silent. There was not a single sound out of this massive beast. All I could think was thank god they're on our side. I'd be more than happy having a permanent USMC presence in our nation. Let them station as many of those guys who'll come. We kept 4000 of your pacific theatre KIAs from WW2 safe in our local cemetery until they could be repatriated in 1948. When they have rested in our soil they become one of us. USMC is always welcome here. Never met a US marine who wasn't an incredibly polite, respectful and absolutely deadly man.
I agree 100% i was on a base as an army cadet camp and i saw a few Canadians as well I didn’t see any US soldiers though i wish i did thanks for reading. God bless.
I lived at Fernvale for 20 years. Couldn't wait to never hear those angels of death ever again 🤔🙏
I have just come across your channel Wes and so far have only watched this vlog. I have to say, as an Aussie I appreciate your praise and appreciation of our Defence Force 👍 thank you! I also love the humour and subtle teasing you bring to what is a very serious topic 😂 US Defence personnel are always welcome here. 🇦🇺🇺🇸 #StrongerTogether #FreeandOpenIndoPacific
Good on ya Shazza
(USMC combat vet) just want to say we see Australia as our legit brothers. There's noooo doubt in my mind that if anybody at all had the nuts to wage war on Australia they have our boys standing side by side with the kangaroo kids to the end. In turn its obvious that if the US has China problems in the future we have Australia ready to make it clear we together are the dominant Force in the Pacific for the foreseeable future. War is shit and should always be avoided. But if you're going to fight one bring friends who know how to fight and Australia proves they can throw down with the best.
Dont forget our kiwi and islander mates as well
Bravo Zulu Brothers. Contrary to the Vocal Minority, we Proudly Welcome the United States Military with Open Arms. And Treasure Our Eternal Alliance. May God Bless America.
We train with US Forces (Marine Rotational Force Darwin - on FB, etc), NZDF, India, Japan and our wantoks (friends) in Papua New Guinea - The PNGDF, the Pacific nations, and Indonesia. We pray for peace, but history shows to prepare, in case. We hope West Taiwan is able to stay peaceful with Taiwan 2025-27+
@@jamesgleeson6538 hell yea , the kiwis are in the brotherhood. Tiny Island that isn't taken any shit either. Much love from the US
Im Australian and i worry because it's Biden administration. If Trump was CIC I would not worry. I do not trust the Biden administration. I'm Trump all day everyday ❤
As an Aussie I think this is brilliant! Brothers & sisters in arms anywhere anyhow.
In 1942 the US lost 13,000 troops and the entire Far East Air Force, in part because the Phillipines where they were stationed, lacked depth and space for strategic manoeuvre. Only a tiny proportion of the far east force was able to fall back.
Australia solves that problem by providing a rear base from which to project force forward.
Nude beaches are common in Australia...just go somwhere designated....or where no one can see you which is easy.
Yes, the US loves using other countries in order to protect the continental US from attack.
MacArthur ran and left his troops to fend for them selves.
@@raymondstone9636
He had a job to do - did it. Can't do that as POW.
the saltwater crocs and irukanji box jellyfish are strategically located in the very north of Australia 💪🇦🇺
I live in Australia and I welcome my American friends and brave warriors with open arms. It would be a privilege to have you here.
Rebranded UN troops which have already been given indemnity from prosecution if they conduct operations on OUR soil….
@@questioneverythingalways820UN troops ??? That’s a new one.
I second that, welcome👍
@@DonaldAtherton-l7u what rock have you been living under?
@@DonaldAtherton-l7u unfortunately it's not new. Australian conspiracy theorists have always been yapping about the UN invading Australia or something.
The idea of 16k marines with more guns than they should be allowed to have camping out in the northern Territory makes me feel very safe from Brisbane.
Australian soldiers are so highly trained that I would go as far as to say one Australian soldier is worth 20 Chinese soldiers, even when only considering basic Australian infantry. The Australian SASR and Commandos operate on very different levels.
100%
Only biased CCP mouthpieces would disagree
The only advantages they have is numbers
But our allies negate that
Mate that’s what we thought about the Taliban. Sadly we were wrong. Never underestimate your enemy.
@ I’m sorry mate but that’s a terrible rebuttal
The Taliban are horrible fighters that lost 95% of the engagements they were in.
Literally all they did was hide in the hills
Take pit shots and strap bombs to kids
They are not an effective fighting force
America left
They didn’t kick them out
Get your facts right
I really like the Australian Armed Forces. Good bunch of blokes.
There's a strategic mistake. The Chinese have been buying up airfields all over Australia, and buying residential properties, farms and vital infrastructure. Australia's population is now about 40% Asian. The CCP has been infiltrating the country for decades. China has also muscled their way into Antarctica even encroaching on Australian territory. They've bought and taken over an island off the QLD coast and an international airport in southern West Australia. The CCP is doing a soft takeover of Australia. 16,000 troops on the northern coastline may make a difference but the fox is already in the hen house.
In times of war contracts don't mean crap. Do you think Aussies would say "oh they're invading, they have a contract on that port.. better see r let them use it" 😂
@@jakotaeyou don’t get it do
You. They know China will take Australia so they are selling up the entire nation to them for profits before they do. It’s basically a legally sound land transfer and the war will be the cover for the depopulation of the current society and the new government and land title.
There's a very old joke about swimming in Darwin harbour - it's a race between the jellyfish, the crocs, and the sharks.
"Pitch Black" is not a US exercise. Pitch Black is a biennial exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and multiple countries are invited to attend. This year (2024) 20 countries (including the USA) with 140 aircraft participated making it the largest Pitch Black exercise ever held.
And afterwards the Luftwaffe announced a permanent presence for training. Pitch Black provides the best airspace and infrastructure in the world to air forces to train.
@@goodshipkaraboudjan Republic of Singapore Air Force also train in WA.
@@gtpumps And their chopper training is done in Oakey QLD. Their Super Pumas came in handy during the floods.
As an Aussie, I say G'Day to all Marines.
Semper Fi !
Australia needs to build up its defence forces.
and how that gonna happen. I mean honestly the youth are indifferent or peaceniks and the new people are similar to the people we want war with... so where are these new assets coming from? magic isn't a legit answer.
We are.
@@UltraRealTrueJesus Absolutely right can you imagine trying to recruit a defensive force from today's easily offended snowflakes. That's why nations around the world are in full production to incorporate AI intelligence into their armed forces.`
Hate to tell u ..ppl in Australia aren’t rushing to join why! One pay isn’t great..I’m a wife of a Vietnam vet the time my husband served 22 years as army infantry then ordnance ..daughter served 4 years ..I was military wife for 15 years..young ppl are finding it’s not good..most will do a short service..
@@dianagiles9467 Cool, so you didn't serve. Point? Defense spending is being increased, more so when the LNP get it. Retention bonuses are through the roof at the moment.
The USMC has a long association with Australia. Waltzing Matilda is even the marching song of the 1st Marine Division.
Also the design of their insignia is influenced by the Australian flag.
Australia sure does, the 1st Marine Division rested and recuperated in a base south of Melbourne after Guadal Canal. Balcombe Camp, my first Army Base
@@stevetaylor8298 - Yanks went through hell in The Solomons.
I didn’t know the marines waltzed Matilda that’s amazing
@@stevetaylor8298 And its where John Basilone was awarded his Medal of Honor.
I like this guy and his channel, it’s very different and is as entertaining as it is informative. Well done
Bring them Marines on nothing like keeping our alliance strong. Loved having them around our area a year ago during Exercises. We need to bolster our North and Northwest Western Australia.
The Marines should have a Battle Group in Australia. Having a Company or Battalion is OK for rotational training but if we`re really going to do this, you need to station a legit force.
16k is up to Division size? Add to that the equipment to support them and that amounts to a reasonable size force.
@@TheHsan22 I`m possibly speaking Australianese but what we call a battle group, is basically 3 battallions inf, armour, artillery and support battalion etc etc.
Exact numbers aren`t important but since you`re down here it should be a self contained force, not some embedded oddity that needs support.
@@loufrost824Mate, the Marines bring everything with them. A force of 16K will be totally self sustaining and include all the support elements it requires.
@@tlevans62 I`m all for it. We`ll have lefty types saying "we`re an independant country blah blah blah". But it is what it is and probably for the best if the Americans are here good to go!
That’d be cool, an acre of mobile Merican sovereignty plus jets! Australia should ask to buy the new B21 bomber to help out and replace the bombers and carriers we used to have.
Ask the Japanese if Australia can defend itself
The move is hardly surprising. What is the surprise, is that it's taken so long
Mate, if they go surfing anywhere in the NT there won't be 16 thousand American soldiers here past that. Crocs would love the takeaway.
US troops always welcome here in Australia. Defensively the best strategy for the current global tensions is to prepare. Better to have prepared and not needed to, than not have prepared and wish we had
The common misconception is that the Australian and US Army's have rarely have worked together, and that they would be incompatible as a fighting force together has been proven to be incorrect in recent times. The joint operation on the Island of Bouganville in the Pacific War in WW2, and the joint governance of Lon Tan province in the Vietnam conflict in that province showed this to be a fact that two very different groups can work together if they both show common sense, and have common goals. Please see Dr D. Waller's paper on the recent proposed plan to open up a joint base in Darwin.
Australian and US forces have operated together since Hamel in WW1, They fought together in the Pacific theatre in WW2 under Gen. Douglas McCarther especially during the New Guinea campaign the US often provided aerial, logistical and naval support for Australian ground troops., They also fought side by side in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan to name a few, The Australians were based in Phuoc Tuy province, Long Tan was actually a rubber plantation where they inflicted a defeat against overwhelming odds with Australian, NZ and US artillery units supporting them. The 2 countries are constantly holding military drills together along with their other allies. Major excercises such as Talisman Sabre and Pitch Black are hosted jointly by Australia and the US in Northern Australia every 2 years involving thousands of troops along with assets from many nations. The US Marines Darwin Rotational Force constantly train with their Australian couterparts in the 6 months that they are stationed here and they usually take advantage of training in places such as the ADFs specialised jungle warfare facility near Townsville to hone their skills in environments that probably arent available back home.. The Australian weapons systems are mostly procurred from the US and one of the main reasons for that is to maintain interoperability between 2 close allies...A US SSN has just come into the HMAS Stirling Naval Base in Fremantle Western Australia for maintenance to be carried out by the RAN as training for them on that technology, Australian personel are often embedded into different branches of the US military and there are currently sailors serving on US nucleat submarines in preparation for the RAN operating their own SSNs.
NOOOOO!!! End AUKUS dude. Australia has no issue with china, they are our biggest trade partner. I don’t feel like being conscripted because America feels like it
Why can’t we base a battle carrier group in Australia as well?
The Port isn't big/deep enough
@@ReinventingTheSteve Sydney is the worlds largest natural harbor and regularly hosts carriers.
I’ve been in Darwin Australia 🇦🇺 for 2 days it’s very tropical and it has palm trees 🌴
Tell them to overthrow the Australian government.
Sincerely,
An Aussie.
😂
Ditto
🤣
We need a Trump to lead here.Pauline's good but her policies need clearer definition.Yes,Americans welcome , especially with Trump at the helm.He's strong and has common sense.No nonsense guy with intelligence balanced with great advisors and quality leadership coming along with him.China may be a good trading partner but beware,they have their sites set on us in various and devious ways.We need to be vigilant and prevent war.Don't trust them EVER!!
We want em here, GOD BLESS THE YANKS AND OZ.
from what I have remember that it was been in the works since 2005-2007. there were talks in a marine base being placed in outskirts of my hometown Townsville.
This is a good thing. Let the Australian Infantry train them, and you will have the best Battalions in the US Army.
😂😂😂
Welcome US ! 🌏
When stationed with the 25th ID at Schofield we sent (1989) an infantry company and a mixed platoon of 1 squad of combat engineers with the rest of it consisting of MI, MP, Arty, S&T. The medics were supplied by the Aussie Army reserve. We did 4 weeks of jungle training by their WOs at their Warfare Centre in Canungra, NSW. The remaining 2 weeks were at Holsworthy Barracks, Liverpool, QLD.
At the time, the 25th were the jungle experts. I know that the 25th has split up and their brigades are at different locations but why the Marines? Because of the South Pacific islands? Any ideas. Also, IIRC, the engineers had a captain from the Aussie Army at Schofield.
Marines have had a long history with the Australians even before The rotational force Darwin became a thing. Marine Expeditionary Units
have been visiting OZ with the Navy for decades.
@@TheLAGopher Thanks. I guessed the Navy visits was the reason. When I was Holsworthy Barracks (Liverpool basically a suburb of Sydney) we would go to the clubs in Kings Cross. When dancing, the guy ask if we were Navy, told him Army and he was surprised. Told him they had a unit in Hawai'i.
The 25th did all the Pacific exercises back then.
Yeah Canungra is in far North Queensland and Liverpool is a suburb in Sydney NSW, bit of memory fade mate
@@colinflenley1203 A couple of us even got invited to Canberra, ACT. The over reminded me of the back hills of home (San Diego). Even visited the Hill. Other than the US, Australia would be my choice of where to live.
@@colinflenley1203 Canungra's south of Brisbane. Are you thinking of Tully?
The last thing we need.
Australia would be good duty for a young Marine. Great training, great liberty with a great American ally.
Wrestle the crocodiles, but beware the shelias.
@@Albemarle7
The Sheila’s are worse than the Crocs.
‘Beware…. Drink here at own risk’……..
The yanks won't like our liberty mate. We've fa compared to them
A big hearty welcome to the United States Marines, always welcome here.🤠👍🇭🇲❤️🇺🇸
So good you are serious about this
I loved my 3mo deployment to Australia with the Corps over 20 years ago.
Australia is a wonderful country.
How to really have the Aussies like us. We have a few F-111's in the reserve base that could be restored to flight. They miss their pigs alot.
We should lay up our previous-generation aircraft in the desert like the Americans do. Never know when you might need aircraft in a hurry and not everything has to be the latest. The Americans use their older models for home defence or even new versions of older models like F15-EX.
@@overworlder
Australia should be next in line for the F-15EX.
Oh we now have regular visits to the RAAF Base Amberley near here from B2 Stealth Bombers now. But we do miss the pigs as they were a hell of a lot quieter than the damn C 17s we have that fly up to 2230hrs over the city.
@@overworlderImhope they are doing that with the Aslav.
@@garry19681 exactly!
Australia and America have been bros since the Battle of Hamel, where on the 4th of July 1918 an Australian Lead coalition force of Aussies, US and Brits fought against the Germans. We won that battle in less than 93 minutes which for WWI was kind of a big deal 😎Australia has fought along side the US in many major conflicts since.
1st Marines march to Waltzing Matilda which is an Australian Folk song. They adopted it when they came to Australia After the Guadalcanal Campaign to rest and regroup/reorg.
The Stars on their patch are the Southern Cross, the constellation that is seen in our night sky and is on the Australian National Flag.
My Dad served in Vietnam and I deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (along with Bougainville, East timor twice and Padang) Marines are Feral creatures so they fit right in down here 😜
Your history knowledge speaks well of you Michael. I'm pretty sure that at that battle the Aussie General, Monash, was the only non-American general who has ever actually been given command over USA forces. Like, ever. That's big, and the trust that it shows is important. I've wandered over the SBTA with various bunches of Marines on Ex's Tallisman Sabre, and was ever impressed - they own the battlefield, and totally accept Aussies as their brothers in arms.
You forgot about the sharks with the crocodiles and jellyfish.
America has always been our allies for years..yes DARWIN has a big base..there’s also a base in Townsville in QLD..during world war 2 -small bases were set up in a lot of areas..one is Wallangara QLD..tank traps were setup not far from there. Signs are up indicating these tank traps..sadly a lot of these little bases have closed ..
Wes, I really dig your videos. You offer an insightful and educated view while also being light hearted, non dogmatic and without condescention. Keep up the great work.
Australia and the U.S. have fought together in every significant military conflict since World War I. Albiet, that our American allies have been a little slow coming to the party in the two largest conflicts, WWI and WWII. During WWII, the Australian army trained a number of U.S. troops in jungle warfare as well as schooling the U.S. in urbane warfare during the "Battle of Brisbane".
I tend to feel that the more Australian and U.S. militaries train and work together the more effective and co-ordinated they will be in any future conflicts.
Edit: Please note for future reference, the picture of the "dunny" you flashed up wasn't a run of the mill 'dunny" It was a classic 'thunder box'.
16.000 American spending American dollars. Bring it on ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Welcome brothers🎉❤
The exercises are actually Australian, with other friendly nations invited to participate.
Australia has been there for America and vice versa for every major war since WW1
Im an Aussie and think Yep sounds good to me. We get along very well
Exercise Pitch Black is a biennial three week RAAF multi-national large force employment exercise and Exercise Predators Run 2024 is an ADF multilateral combined arms exercise held in the Northern Territory, Australia. Whilst there is a large US presence in both exercises, neither are 'Marine' exercises.
Darwin floats on beer, it is HOT after all. The boys will return home with a taste for stronger stuff than Bud Light. Enjoy your stay.
As an Aussie I welcome US forces to Australia. Always been strong allies and good mates.
They will be in Australia’s for 6 months a year. Like the US we hoast number of allied military’s for a few months each year.
I wish we only had our own army in our country. Go home marines look after your own homes and families.
07:15 The MRF-D MAGTF was 2,500 Marines in 2024.
There are already over 50,000 American troops stationed in Australia preparing for China to attack Taiwan, they have been increasing the size of the American Air Force bases so they can accommodate more and larger aircraft.
China has been monitoring what is happening in Australia for the past 20 years using their spy submarines, around 20 incursions are monitored every week and around 5 years ago, over 20 submarines were detected in Australian waters during a single day.
The American navy will struggle against China's submarines and there has been over a hundred underwater entrances discovered along the Chinese coastline that are large enough to accommodate submarines of all sizes but what the entrances are connected to is still a mystery.
China is currently conducting "training" that has the Chinese navy encircling Taiwan so I think that they are waiting for the American election so they can start their attack on Taiwan if Trump gains power or the Republican party starts a civil war.
Lessons from Rabaul.
@@itt2055 that's true. China only targets the USA but having them here in Australia is a big mistake. Australia is not at war with China and China is not a threat to Australia unless provoking China
Australia and the USA have been regularly doing exercises together and with other allies for decades now .
Tindal base can easily handle Galaxy planes, we have now hosted the B2 Stealth Bombers here at nearby RAAF AMBERLEY base and they only recently departed for home bases. There is huge cooperation between Australia and the USA going back to WWII. The Apollo Moon landing was streamed to the world from here.
Amberley was also the emergency space shuttle landing site for the southern hemisphere when it was operational.
You will recall, we gave PLA guided tours of that facility back in the 80's.
It is showing, though 80 years late, the lessons of WWII were learned. Having fighting forces staged in the Pacific would have saved time and lives. The US did a pretty good job in the late 20th century, but with the base closures and troop reductions in Japan and the Philippines, readiness in the Pacific has waned.
Welcome to Australia brothers, I hope you enjoy your stay 🍻
Australia was second only to the UK as a base for American operations in WWII with around one million US servicemen passing through including virtually all of MacArthur's forces to return to the Philippines. From there the US 6th and 8th armies, which had also spent time in Australia and New Guinea, would have spearheaded the planned invasion of Japan; Operations Olympic and Coronet.
As a matter of comparison, around two million passed through the UK.
This would be a significant deployment because Australia has had a policy of not allowing large concentrations of foreign forces, including allies such as the USA or UK, on our soil since 1945.
Let the world be free, fair and in peace... Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦
Wake up.
@@garynew9637 they wont because they think that conflict matters. it doesn't. world powers are talking and it'd appear they are saying a conflict in east Asia... soon. therefore those crying about certain ongoing wars means they are about to start yapping about the new conflagration instead. but unawares they are left behind as media is moving toward that narrative...
@@garynew9637 go back to sleep, sheep...
Americas are Welcome here in Australia 🦅 🇺🇸👍🇭🇲🦘
Everyone ? I welcome US visitors. I don't welcome US military bases.
Thank you.😊
Welcome anytime American brothers and sisters🇦🇺🇺🇲
No they aren't!
My farts stink and they are loud, I tend to get that after coronas but I haven’t had a corona in years. I had that kale slaw mix from Woolies with some fish. It was tasty, I feel like Kamala Harris.
Say, why is your studio lighting so weirdly dim... and the contrast washed out? It doesnt look very. It looks hard to look at. It is especially dubious to have your AWACS spot lighted while you're hidden in the shadow.
That said I like tour abstract color blob hexagon things and how they center you. Good job on that part.
04:45 It wasn't Battalion sized. It was a Cdo Company (from 2 Cdo and later 1 Cdo), a Squadron of SAS (2 Sqn predominantly with reinforcements from specialists in 1 Sqn), some Combat Engineers, Signallers, Medics and some Loggies - all working on disparate tasks.
This piece, I think, over shadows the UK forces working in Helmand where they performed a Brigade attack, their first since WWII, and they were limited to 1,000 soldiers.
How long before we start hearing about drone and anti-drone training for units deployed overseas? Not just Air Force for this one, right?
Australia is pretty safe from invasion, any landing force would be vulnerable because their supply lines would be over or on the water. The problem is a sophisticated opponent wouldn't need to set foot in Australia to destroy its way of life. All an opponent needs is long range X-to-ground missiles and it could hurt Australia. This is why Australia is investing in long range missiles like the SM-6, GLMRS, Naval strike missile and Tomahawk's
However a country with a capable carrier battle group and a way to flood the country with tanks could potentially do it, but why would they so far from their territory when there are other "easier pickings".
Invading Australia would be suicide for 99% of countries, including China... a single carrier group wouldn't even get close...
This video explains it thoroughly: th-cam.com/video/R47OJTgKYeo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=7OdbhcB4X8xGVqtJ
we are the "mine" of the world. this gives us strategic advantage over peer or rival powers. we are also a "foodbowl" that feeds a good portion of the entire planet with pure foodstuff. noting these two a conflict is very unlikely onshore mainland AU.
Lmao a single carrier group wouldn't even come *close* to invading the entirety of Australia 💀
@@UltraRealTrueJesus The word is interconnected. Its not like the 1940s anymore where for the most part a country relied on itself. The global pandemic showed that with supply chain issues. If there is a war with China, Australia would stop sending it's exports to China, and China would do the same, for goods that we don't even know we rely on China for.
@@dexterplameras3249You have a far more grounded take than some of the warmongers out there using China to justify the exorbitant taxes they are levying from the citizens. If China wants to do anything to Australia, it will be through soft power, and we have seen that a few times as diplomatic ties thawed and froze between Australia and China a few times in the past few years. The PLA invading Australia? All it takes is a look at their MREs to know that the Chinese soldier can’t go a day away from their base Dining facility without starving to death and that’s fine because Chinese doctrine doesn’t require them to.
As an American who has lived in Australia it became obvious to me that the relationship between USA and AUS is a big brother (USA), little brother (AUS) which can cause some frictions but don't mess with little brother unless you want big brother to beat your ass.
The first thing is they have to be schooled in Australian wildlife. We had a US Soldier who found these little worms. He caught 9 of them & put them in his sleeping bag. He didn't wake up in the morning. What he had put in his sleeping bag were Death Adders. They are only small. About 3 on the most lethal Snakes in the World.
Wow.
I call BS. Worms ain't nothing like snakes. And why would you want to put either in your own sleeping bag and sleep in.
I'm calling bullshit.
You just don't want them to wear out your women like they did the last time they were there.
Yeh bs, those things are short, and squat of build, ambush strikers, lay in wait with a wriggly tail tip, definitely not amenable to being picked up ciz they're always ready to strike if that tailtip is wriggling like a worm. Oh, and their strike is pretty fast.
Death Adders are small but definitely don't look like worms.
Look at that croc! What a beauty! Wait a minute, that's not a croc, it's a marine disguised as a croc! Crikey!
oh Barry over yonder way is a Croc dressed as a marine (and a likely scenario if someone swims in non designated areas)
When I was a kid growing up in fifties Australia I always knew of an empty beer bottle as a ‘dead marine’.This referred to the endless drunk marines in ww2 found in the parks and streets of Brisbane and no doubt other Australian cities.The beer was strong and marines suffered from battle,malaria and other numerous medical prescriptions.I still call an empty beer bottle this today.
I would rather see 16000 increase in OUR defence force.
It is doable, but defence privatised recruitment, which has been an abject failure.
Arm the civilians not a government owned militia.
Ah, an intelligent realist. Well said topendgold. We need a policy of armed neutrality, defended with the world's best missiles. We do not need invasion machinery.
Could we find 16,000 who wanted to join?
Also saves Australia a lot of money.
@gvibration1 my mate, who is ex Brit and Aust Army, had both of his sons rejected, they both wanted to be infantry like their dad, but Army was recruiting only females at the time, to fill the quotas. Now 1 is a cop, the other in a similar occupation, a response squad for Corrections in another state. Of course we could recruit those positions. I joined in 1985, we 32000 soldiers then, and a population of 17 million. Now we have a population of 27 million, and an Army of 28000!
@@topendgold9284 that is crazy!
(USMC non combat vet) I would have love to be stationed in Australia
Not Darwin you wouldn't mate. It's vitally important at a strategic level due to it's location BUT it's hot, humid and cyclone prone year round. Plus forget going near the water, there are massive crocodiles that you can see from the beaches and if they don't get you the sharks and box jellyfish will. Plus a lot of homeless aboriginals who at night will beat and rob anyone out walking anywhere.
Yup.16000. Could be distibuted across Darwin and other centres like Katherine.
Massive pressure on infrastructure but also rapid economic growth.
Umm what happened to the super base up high range we HDG tonnes of steel a few yrs ago 🤔
Will these US Marines be looking for UAPs?
No no no NO!
Yes yes yes
Oz guys and girls are very good at covert ops. We welcome the marines. Maybe even Rangers.
He needs to add a picture of a Boeing E-7 Wedgetail to his wall before he can hang with the cool kid Aussies.
I wish Australia would stay the fuck out of this.
War is terrible and for what???????
The people that abide by the laws of the political elite are the ones that will suffer.
I don’t want to fight with anyone, and I don’t want my son being dragged into this mess.
Please let’s just mind our own business Australia 🇦🇺
Love from Tamworth 🇦🇺
...Well...Invasions are a lot like the clap...much easier to prevent, than to cure...
...How did that work out for you in 1941?
Get your Head Out of the Clouds Phil. WW3 Is Inevitable, Like it OR NOT.
@philoconnell7706 I couldn't agree more. I hate war, Australia is a neutral country. American Marines should go back to America and defend it from their own government
Yeah this is awesome news, hopefully they fall in love with country and stay.
I like that - “Everything can kill you down there.”
You're all welcome, boys, very welcome, but please leave your spelling in the States.
This guy has been reseaching using A I information, which is incorrect, the ADF is 90,000 strong and growing.
As a structural engineer, I designed some of the buildings at Waler Barracks, which in turn became Robinson Barracks. At the time there was, and I'm probably going to get the correct military names wrong, 2nd Cavalry in place and I was designing the buildings for the 1st Armoured Regiment. The rest of what is now the base was basically scrub. The buildings in question are the ones bounded by Puckapunyal Rd & Lighthorse Dr. I had a great time in Darwin. There are a lot of worse places in the world to watch the sun go down than the bar at the Yacht Club :)
As I'm typing this, you mentioned Larrakeyah- I did some structural work there as well.
That is almost a division's worth of marines. No one in Australia asked for this. We don't want foreign militaries occupying Australian bases and using them to run their combat sorties for missions that have nothing to do with the Australian interest. Why can't they just go back to the US.
...Question: Do you speak Japanese? You're welcome...
@@TheGhostOfSmedleyButlerare you American
Our DSR (Defence Review Strategy) has us shifting from a "balanced force" ( which did well supporting action in Iraq and Afganistan) to a "focussed force" where we shift our defence more deliberately to countering China in our own back yard. It means a reduction in the Army, an army that is more marine adjusted, less aggressive purchases in the Airforce - to allow shit-load spending in the Navy. With that happening, having a force of US Marines based in NT sounds like a brilliant move. Works for me, anyway.
Beer sellers and pub owners ecstatic. 😁
As a fromer Marine, I'm furious I'm not gonna be a part of this. However knowing how the Marine Corps corps likes to choose bases, im glad im not going to what ever useless hell hole our Ozy cousins are forcing upon the enlisted
How do you say poon-tang in Australian?
Darwin is perfect for a marine. 90%+ humidity for half the year, 36C+ for half the year, all day all night. Ocean temps are about the same for half the year too, so no refreshment there.
At least you have a lot of room to spread out and play games, and a bunch of kangaroos to shoot!
@@Hoonbernator1590
How many US troops are generally here on rotation? 2000? 5000?
around 2500 but the numbers fluctuate.
I wonder how much Australia is going to charge us to protect them?
@@dougdenhamlouie that's a really good question. Nothing is for free for Australia
I wouldn't suggest the buzz-cuts frequent any beach in the North.
AS long as we dont cut our army back like when the 2k marines . we had 32k troops and it got cut back to 30k
What are you talking about? Australia has never had marines.
@Pedro-tj5qt 2k in Darwin shit they just did a turn round. 2k new Marine. I think I should have been more clear.
@Pedro-tj5qt so we cut our army back by 2k because 2k American marines came to Australia. That what meant to say
@@PAL3Tigerrr okay, well the cutback is not due to marines basing in darwin, it is due to people not joining. The ADF cannot fill positions, the ADF never intended to amalgamate a infantry battalion and re-role an armoured regiment. Also it is 1000 job positions that have been cut (they were empty) not 2000. Also the 10th brigade which is based around artillery will be raised in the next few years and will actually add 2k or so positions, so provided we can fill them, the army will actually expand.
@Pedro-tj5qt fuck we are just under 28k . When I was in it Was 32k
No thx
Deploying a bigger contingent of US troops to Australia will not help reduce the country's economic reliance on China for more than 35% of its exports to pay for the cost of nuclear submarines and, potentially, the cost of housing and maintaining US troops stationed on Australian soil.
It can't be a coincidence that a few years ago I remember here in Australia we had the same number 16,000 Russian soldiers they had some dark op placement up there. It was around the time people noticed they could see them and there location with fitbits. Odd how I could only find proof of 10,000 or so leaving. 🤔
Unfortunately for them they will be stationed in the tropics of the Northern Territory. At least they will have air conditioning.