Adm. Samuel Locklear, US Pacific Command chief, met with senior Australian military officials in Canberra in efforts to bolster military relations between the two allies. The trip marked Locklear’s first visit to the country since taking command of PACOM in March. The Australians are “a reliable partner with us in a lot of different areas,” said Locklear in commenting on his July 11 visit, during which he spent time with Australian Defense Chief Gen. David Hurley. The talks included an assessment of the US Marine Corps’ six-month rotational deployments to Darwin that began this spring, according to a July 12 Pentagon release. The first group of marines recently returned to Darwin after taking part in training exercises with Australian forces and several Southeast Asian nations. Locklear said the deployments are the first step in a larger strategy to grow regional military engagement where the United States can “operate with our allies and our partners and to have assurance that we are properly positioned” to deal with future challenges, ranging from natural disasters to cyberspace threats. (AFPS report by Donna Miles)
US Space Command Should Always Be Led by a Guardian
Sept. 12, 2026
General Stephen Whiting took command of U.S. Space Command in January 2024, and if customary three-year tenures hold, his tour would end in January 2027. The question now before the President and Senate is who should follow him? Whoever they choose, it has to be a Guardian—and so should every successor…
