US Marine Corps to Build $30M Weapons Stockpile in Victoria

The United States military is planning to establish a permanent, combat-ready weapons stockpile for the Marine Corps at a base in southeastern Australia, according to recently published tender documents and confirmed officials. The $30 million project, to be constructed at the Bandiana military logistics facility in Victoria state, represents the first such Marine Corps stockpile on Australian soil and is part of a broader U.S. strategy to expand its logistical footprint across the Pacific.

A solicitation issued by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command on June 10 seeks contractors for construction projects to support what it describes as critical forward provisioning for the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The facility is expected to reach full operational capacity by 2028. According to the documents, supplies will initially be held in Melbourne before being moved to new U.S. warehouses to be built at Bandiana next year. The U.S. Navy is engaging a global defense contractor to employ approximately 110 specialists to manage the stockpile, which includes crew-served weapons.

A spokesperson for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific said the activities support integrated...