Australia’s move to upgrade RAAF base Tindal for advanced fighters and long-range bombers is a solid investment in our strategic depth and ability to support conventional deterrence. Thx @australian for noting our @USSC report called for such boosts 1/ theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence…
In Averting Crisis, we argued that in light of the growing mismatch between US strategy and resources, “Canberra should increase security cooperation with Washington and other likeminded partners to advance a strategy of collective regional defence.” 2/ussc.edu.au/analysis/avert…
The Tindal upgrade is a step in this direction. Given its strategic location outside the range of conventional long-range Chinese missiles, but close enough to flashpoints in Southeast Asia and the Pacific etc, Tindal offers value in terms of dispersal, strike and op support. 3/ 
As @USSC colleague @BrendanTN_ told @australian, Tindal’s contribution to “presenting more targets for China to account for [in a crisis]” makes it valuable. Rotating US “bombers in Australia, Indian Ocean, parts of SE Asia, Alaska” is a lot to track. 4/ theaustralian.com.au/nation/defence…
Crucially, though, and what comments so far have missed, Tindal is not just about the US-Aus alliance. It offers infrastructure that can deepen shared capabilities with our other partners — Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, India etc — and support a strategy collective defence. 5/5
