第一批美国海军陆战队已经抵达澳大利亚北部，标志着美军在亚太地区扩大部署的开始。这200名海军陆战队成员星期三在达尔文走下专机时受到澳大利亚 国防部长斯蒂芬.史密斯的欢迎。将与澳大利亚军队举行联合军事演习的美国陆空特遣队最终规模将达到2500人，这些海军陆战队队员是特遣队的第一批。根据 协议，澳大利亚还将提供便利，让包括喷气战斗机和轰炸机在内的美国军机增加使用达尔文空军基地。美国驻澳大利亚大使布莱奇说，美国很幸运能在这一地区驻 军。他说，这里现在是“世界上最变化多端的地区”。美国海军陆战队不会在达尔文建立永久基地。他们将驻扎在达尔文市郊外的一个军营，并每六个月轮换一次在 该地区的驻军。
这一部署是美国总统奥巴马和澳大利亚总理吉拉德在去年11月纪念两国军事和战略同盟60周年的一系列活动上宣布的一项 协议的组成部分。该协议遭到中国的公开质疑。中国担心美国试图遏制中国在全球的经济和军事崛起。但是澳大利亚国防部长说，美国驻军将有助于确保该地区的和 平与安全。有报道说，澳大利亚可能允许美国使用澳大利亚的北部地区操控远程无人驾驶间谍飞机。
The first wave of U.S. Marines has arrived in northern Australia, marking the start of a larger U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith greeted the 200 Marines as they stepped off a charter flight in Darwin Wednesday. The Marines are the first contingent of an eventual 2,500-member Air Ground Task Force that will engage in joint military exercises with Australian forces. Under the agreement, Australia also will facilitate an increased use of Darwin air base by U.S. military aircraft, including jet fighters and bombers. Jeffrey Bleich, the U.S. ambassador to Canberra, says it is fortunate that U.S. forces are stationed in the region, which he described as "the most dynamic area in the world right now." The Marines will not establish a permanent outpost in Darwin. Instead, they will be based at a military barracks on the city's outskirts and deploy to the region on a six-month rotational basis.
The deployment is part of an agreement announced in November by U.S. President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard during events marking the 60th anniversary of the two nations' military and strategic alliance. The agreement was met with open suspicion by China, which fears the U.S. seeks to stifle Beijing's rise as a global economic and military power. But the Australian defense chief says the U.S. military presence will help to ensure peace and security in the region. News reports say Australia may allow the U.S. to use the northern territory to operate long-range unmanned spy planes.