Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson visited Canberra, Australia, Nov. 1 to reinforce the U.S. Navy’s commitment to U.S.-Australia alliance and explore ways to expand security cooperation.    

During the visit, Richardson joined senior Australian defense officials, including Australian Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty, Chief of the Defence Force Gen. Angus Campbell, and Royal Australian Navy Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Michael Noonan for roundtable discussions on regional security and defense policy at the Australian National University’s National Security College.

“There is no closer partnership than the one between our two navies,” said Richardson. “We rely heavily on Australia for its leadership role in global security and the high-end capabilities they bring to all warfighting domains. We are committed to finding new opportunities to deepen our interoperability so we can more effectively respond to our shared challenges in an increasingly complex environment.”

Richardson joined by counterpart, Noonan, visited the Australian War Memorial to honor the sacrifices made by members of the Australian armed forces and lay a wreath in their memory.

“U.S. and Australian forces have fought shoulder to shoulder since the first world war,” said Richardson. “This year we marked 100 years since the Battle of Hamel, the first time U.S. and Australian soldiers went into combat together, assaulting the German line.”   

Richardson added, “Security cooperation has always been a cornerstone of our alliance, and it will continue to be so. As the security environment becomes more complex, increasing our interoperability and cooperation is more important than ever to preserve a rules-based international order.”

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