The US Navy, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) have agreed to enhance their maritime forces’ logistics capabilities to improve cooperation.
The trilateral logistics agreement, signed by senior US, Australian and Japanese flag officers, aims to strengthen maritime collaboration and uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
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The signing occurred on the America-class amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) while docked in Brisbane.
This pact is a first under the existing strategic dialogue framework that has facilitated bilateral collaboration between these nations on logistics and other matters for several years.
OPNAV N4 installations and logistics deputy chief of naval operations vice admiral Jeff Jablon said: “Sustainment in depth is a primary objective.
“We have robust logistics partnerships with Japan and Australia to ensure we can provide the right material and services at the right place, at the right time to mutually support our maritime forces, from day-to-day training during peacetime through contingencies. This arrangement strengthens those commitments and allows us to more easily share information, technologies and processes for greater logistics resiliency.”
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By GlobalDataThe agreement covers cooperation areas such as missile system reloading and flexible refuelling operations.
Since 2019, Australian and US naval forces have provided mutual support for missile reloading activities in the Indo-Pacific.
To expedite at-sea reloading, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is developing prototype systems compatible with both US and partner nations’ MK-41 missile launchers.
These systems will facilitate missile canister transfers between ships under challenging sea conditions.
Demonstrations of these systems took place in 2024, with additional demonstrations scheduled for 2025 and 2026 to highlight further capability enhancements and interoperability.
Additionally, military oilers from the US, Australia, and Japan routinely conduct refuelling operations with vessels from partner countries during joint exercises and engagements.
Since 2011, the Military Sealift Command (MSC) has been equipping leased commercial tankers with consolidated tanking (CONSOL) connections, allowing them to refuel military oilers at sea.
The MSC has increased CONSOL operations and training with Australian, Japanese, and other partners since 2022.
The US Navy is investigating how partner nation tankers might adopt CONSOL features.
The signing event took place just before the start of exercise Talisman-Sabre 2025, where Australia, Japan, and other partners will engage in related activities as part of the exercise programme.
RAN general logistics director commodore Catherine Rhodes said: “During Talisman-Sabre and beyond, we have clear opportunities to work trilaterally with our US and Japanese partners on logistics initiatives.
“These efforts facilitate our speed of response for the full range of naval actions in the Indo-Pacific, from routine sustainment through crisis.”
