The dialogue built upon the Royal Australian Navy and the United States Navy Strategic Dialogue Framework for Engagement, signed by both parties Dec. 15, 2020. The Strategic Dialogue Framework for Engagement largely aims to strengthen existing cooperation, address mutual strategic issues and promote collaborative capability development.
“The U.S. and the Royal Australian Navy share a unique and historic bond,” said Black. “Our long-running collaboration is especially valuable in the context of today’s security environment. As we grow in interoperability, we remain poised to meet shared challenges, and promote our aligned values for a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
Rear Adm. Smith echoed the strategic value of the partnership, reflecting on the importance of ongoing dialogue.
“The U.S. has long been a vital, reliable partner in encouraging a free and open Indo-Pacific, where a rules-based order can prevail,” he said. “These talks provide an opportunity to build on our relationship, and deliver tangible results for our collective security and prosperity.”
Recent successful joint exercises demonstrate the value of close coordination between the navies, which enables mutual action to address shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The two navies recently completed exercises TRIDENT WARRIOR, RIMPAC, MALABAR and KAKADU, demonstrating the effectiveness of the bilateral framework.
The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5) is the principal advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on Navy strategies, plans and policies, including planning and coordinating the global employment of naval forces.