The United States, Australia, and Japan have signed a new trilateral naval logistics arrangement aimed at deepening maritime cooperation and enhancing interoperability among their naval forces, according to a press release.
The agreement was signed on 11 July 2025 aboard the USS America during a port visit to Brisbane. Vice Admiral Jeff Jablon of the U.S. Navy, Rear Admiral Naoya Hoshi of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and Commodore Catherine Rhodes of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) formalised the arrangement in a ceremony held ahead of Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Vice Admiral Jablon described the agreement as a step toward greater logistics resilience: “We have robust logistics partnerships with Japan and Australia to ensure we can provide the right material and services at the right place, at the right time to mutually support our maritime forces, from day-to-day training during peacetime through contingencies.”
The trilateral arrangement builds on existing bilateral logistics cooperation frameworks but marks the first time a three-nation logistics pact has been formally established. It covers key operational areas such as missile reloading and refuelling at sea, with an emphasis on improving shared technologies and processes.
Since 2019, RAN and U.S. Navy forces have supported each other in missile reloading activities. A prototype system compatible with the MK-41 missile launchers used by all three nations has already been demonstrated, with further trials scheduled through 2026. These technologies aim to enable rapid missile transfers between ships even in elevated sea conditions.
The agreement also addresses naval refuelling operations. Military oilers from all three countries already conduct at-sea refuelling of partner vessels during joint exercises. To augment this capability, the U.S. Military Sealift Command has been equipping leased commercial tankers with CONSOL (consolidated tanking) connections, allowing them to refuel military oilers at sea. The U.S. Navy is now evaluating how partner nation tankers could adopt similar capabilities.
Rear Admiral Hoshi welcomed the agreement: “Japan is excited about the chance to collaborate more closely with our U.S. and Australian partners. This new arrangement will allow us to broaden the scope and increase the efficiency of our interactions.”
The logistics arrangement will be tested during the upcoming Talisman Sabre 2025 exercise, which includes rearming operations, refuelling, ship and aircraft repair, and medical evacuation scenarios.
Commodore Rhodes said the trilateral framework strengthens collective readiness: “These efforts facilitate our speed of response for the full range of naval actions in the Indo-Pacific, from routine sustainment through crisis.”
Seems sensible. Not a great surprise.