Australia, Japan and the United States will enhance logistics interoperability among their maritime forces, marking the first time a trilateral logistics agreement has been established among the three nations in the recent past.
The logistics agreement is a continuation of the strategic alliance and enhances the need to develop coordination of the forces among the countries.
It’s understood that a new contested logistics deal could make it easier for the US Navy to resupply and rearm warships should a conflict break out in the Pacific, which is predominantly aimed at containing China.
Further, the new logistics blueprint – signed by the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force – will allow Washington to expand its ongoing working relationships with the other two navies for the first time.
On the other hand, the move is meant to enable naval vessels from the three countries to provide logistics support for each other, with areas of cooperation including the reloading of missile systems and flexible refuelling.
The US Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, and Royal Australian Navy already routinely collaborate on bilateral bases for logistics and other topics under a strategic dialogue framework that has been in place for several years, but this agreement formalises and intensifies the arrangement to a next level.
Earlier, the naval vessels from all three countries already routinely refuel partner nation vessels while participating in combined joint exercises and other cooperative engagements at the multi-domain operation level.
On the other hand, Australian and US naval forces have supported missile reloading for each other’s warships in the Indo-Pacific region since 2019 as a part of Washington and Canberra’s co-operation in the Indo-Pacific.
The Logistics agreement is a continuation of the US initiative to US Naval Sea Systems is develop prototype systems that are compatible with both existing US and strategic partners and allies, both in the ports and high seas.
It’s understood that US warships were in Australia to take part in the Exercise Talisman Sabre this year as part of the multinational, multi-domain exercise involving 19 different countries, which the RAN’s Rhodes said includes opportunities to work trilaterally with the U.S. and Japan on logistics initiatives.
The aim to develop an effective multi-domain operation during the Air Sea battle concept happens to be the cornerstone of the Logistics Agreement.
Senior U.S., Australian and Japanese flag officers further enhance logistics interoperability among their maritime forces. They intend to enable deeper maritime cooperation among the three nations, building upon their enduring commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. Navy, JMSDF, and RAN routinely collaborate on a bilateral basis for logistics and other topics under a strategic dialogue framework that has been in place for several years. This is the first time a trilateral logistics agreement has been established under this framework.
Reloading missile systems and flexible refuelling are among the areas of cooperation outlined in the agreement.
RAN and U.S. Navy forces have supported missile reloading for each other’s warships in the Indo-Pacific region since 2019. To enhance the capability to reload rapidly at sea, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is developing prototype systems that are compatible with both existing U.S. and partner nation warships’ MK-41 missile launchers and can be utilised to transfer missile canisters between ships in elevated sea states. These systems were demonstrated in 2024, with demonstrations planned in 2025 and 2026 to showcase additional capability and interoperability.
Refuelling naval vessels at sea is fundamental to the ability to maintain presence and respond to contingency situations, which has been understood by the United States in the recent past.
US, Australian and Japanese military oilers routinely refuel partner nation vessels while participating in combined joint exercises and other cooperative engagements.
To augment oiler capability, since 2011, the Military Sealift Command (MSC) has been outfitting leased commercial tanker ships with consolidated tanking, or CONSOL, connections that enable them to refuel a U.S. or partner nation military oiler at sea.
This allows the oiler to remain on station for longer periods and continue refuelling operational forces, rather than returning to a port to refuel. Since 2022, MSC has ramped up CONSOL operations and related training with Australia, Japan, and other partners. The U.S. Navy is currently exploring how partner nation tankers could incorporate CONSOL capabilities.
Beyond information and technology sharing through these types of agreements, incorporating logistics activities into training in a realistic manner remains a focus area for U.S. naval forces. Examples include offloading missiles from dry cargo/ammunition ships, rearming cruisers and destroyers, refueling at sea, ship and aircraft repair, airfield damage repair, salvage operations, and medical evacuations.
The signing took place just prior to the official kickoff of exercise Talisman-Sabre 2025, during which Australia, Japan, and other partners will participate in many of these activities as feasible.
The Logistics agreement will allow the countries to develop the capability to rearm vertically launched missiles at sea.
The trilateral agreement is a continuation of Canberra’s initiative to buy advanced warships from Japan, $6.5 billion deal, a move that can go a long way to making Canberra a Pacific maritime power and Tokyo a major weapons exporter, analysts say.
The Australian Defence Ministry said it will buy 11 of Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, stealthy, state-of-the-art surface combatants that analysts say are equal to – or in some respects better than – anything China or even the United States is putting in the water.
The new warships, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will have 32 Mk 41 vertical launch cells, capable of firing surface-to-air missiles and anti-ship missiles, the Defence Ministry said. These will enable the Mogamis to fire 128 air defence missiles, four times the number that current Australian surface vessels can fire.
The US Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, and the Royal Australian Navy already cooperate under existing bilateral efforts, including in missile reloading and refuelling at sea. The new agreement reinforces this foundation, further expanding joint capabilities.
The US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command is working on testing prototype systems designed to transfer missile canisters between ships at sea, even in rough conditions.
Compatible with the MK-41 vertical launchers used by both US and allied vessels, the systems are set for further testing in 2025 and 2026.
This builds on earlier cooperation between the US and Australian navies, which have jointly worked on missile rearming efforts in the Indo-Pacific.
Moreover, the US, Australian, and Japanese replenishment ships already refuel one another during joint exercises and other cooperative missions.
Over the past decade, Washington has equipped leased commercial tankers with consolidated tanking (CONSOL) systems, enabling them to refuel military oilers at sea.
This allows oilers to stay on station longer and support forces without returning to port.
Since 2022, the US has expanded CONSOL operations and training with Australia, Japan, and other partners, and is now exploring ways to equip partner tankers with this capability.
The Quad countries—India, Australia, Japan, and the US—conducted a Tabletop Exercise in Hawaii to simulate the launch of the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN).
IPLN is a multilateral initiative to develop a shared logistics framework that enables civilian disaster response coordination across the Indo-Pacific region.
It supports faster, efficient deployment of humanitarian aid through shared logistics infrastructure and interoperability.
In conclusion, it’s understood that Japan, Australia and the US naval logistics agreement will provide the necessary framework for increased strategic co-operation among the countries.
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