The Honorable Kristyn Jones, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, traveled to Australia May 25 to June 4 for a visit that included a series of bilateral engagements centered on the continued strength of the "Unbreakable Alliance" between the United States and Australia.
Jones met with Chris Deeble, Deputy Secretary of the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Australian Department of Defence; Tanya Monro, Chief Defence Scientist; Sheridan Kearnan, First Assistant Secretary Strategic Policy; Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Chief of Air Force; and Maj. Gen. Gregory Novak, Commander, Defence Space Command.
During these engagements, the leaders discussed their shared commitment to continuing coordination on the integration of defense efforts in the air and space domains that improve stability, security and deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
Jones provided an overview of the recent Department of the Air Force reoptimization for great power competition, noting it is meant to address dangerous shifts in the strategic environment and ensure the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force are best postured to deter conflict and, if necessary, prevail against a peer competitor.
The two sides discussed Australia's new National Defence Strategy, with Jones welcoming the document's alignment with the 2022 U.S. National Defense Strategy. They additionally exchanged views on the regional security environment and explored areas for deeper collaboration, including opportunities for increased multilateral cooperation.
Jones also reiterated U.S. support for Australia's Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise, while underscoring the value of deepening defense industrial cooperation, including through supply chain resiliency. She further reaffirmed the DAF commitment to RAAF modernization efforts and voiced support for bilateral forums that improve interoperability and interchangeability efforts.
Jones separately met with Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, to discuss the Department of Defense Commercial Space Integration Strategy and U.S. Space Force Commercial Space Strategy, which are designed to drive more effective integration of commercial space solutions into national security space architectures.
