Defence

Australia stands shoulder to shoulder with the United States. Our defence cooperation is deep, operational, and in the best interest of both nations.

AUKUS Submarine

AUKUS

AUKUS is now transforming our partnership for the 21st century. It will deploy more capable boats in the Indo Pacific to maintain military balance, deliver a $3 billion investment from Australia into the US submarine industrial base; create manufacturing and trade jobs; and deliver advanced weapons and technology to our warfighters.

Defence Relationship

A central pillar of relations between Australia and the United States is the 'ANZUS' Treaty, which was originally an agreement between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. The ANZUS Treaty was signed by the parties in San Francisco in 1951 and entered into force in 1952. The ANZUS Treaty underpins the Australia-United States Alliance. It binds Australia and the United States to consult on mutual threats, and, in accordance with our respective constitutional processes, to act to meet common dangers. Australia invoked the ANZUS Treaty for the first time on 14 September 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September.

The Alliance is the foundation of defence and security cooperation between Australia and the United States. It increases Australia's ability to protect itself and its interests by providing access to world-leading defence hardware and technologies, training courses and combined exercises, as well as vital intelligence capabilities. In facilitating such cooperation, the Alliance supports regional engagement, security and stability, underpinning prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. It also enables joint efforts against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Both countries are committed to working together to help shape international norms to advance vital shared interests in the sea, air and outer space, as well as to advance important matters related to cybersecurity. Further information about the defence relationship is available on the Australian Department of Defence website.

The Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) are held between foreign and defence ministers on a regular basis. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hosted Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles on 8 December in Washington D.C. for the 35th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations, marking 40 years since consultations began. View the joint fact sheet here.

In addition to AUSMIN, senior officials regularly meet with US counterparts on a broad range of issues including political-military meetings and military-military talks.