It was the first time that the weapon had been used overseas and beyond the continental US.
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Leaders’ meeting sees Australia and China call for increased dialogue and cooperation
Leaders’ meeting sees Australia and China call for increased dialogue and cooperation
“The deployment of the LRHW system to Australia is a major milestone for the army and demonstrates our ability to rapidly deploy and operate advanced capabilities in support of our allies and partners,” Wade Germann, commander of the Hawaii-based 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force which transported the weapon to Australia, said on Sunday.
As a land-based, manoeuvrable missile system, Dark Eagle can travel at over 6,100km/h (3,800mph) and strike targets more than 2,700km (1,700 miles) away.
The US deployment of the weapon showed a “flexing of military muscle”, according to Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai.
He said the move indicated the importance that Washington attached to the US-Australia alliance, including its readiness to strengthen defence coordination and security cooperation with Canberra.
