U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is wrapping up a trip to the Indo-Pacific that included stops in Papua New Guinea and Australia.

A day after announcing the U.S. will be sending more troops and capabilities to Australia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles flew on Austin’s jet from Brisbane to Townsville, to meet with troops taking part in Exercise Talisman Sabre.

Almost a dozen nations have joined the U.S. and Australia for these exercises. And Austin says there is hope that in the future, it will be even bigger.

“This is what we’re about. We’re about interoperability. We’re about working together. Promoting a common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Austin.
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