A Nautilus Institute Guardian Australia exclusive reveals that the US military and defense contractors have access to or control over more than 110 facilities across Australia, equating to what analysts describe as a majority of the country’s defence installations.

Public opinion in Australia is shifting, with polls showing waning trust in the US and rising appetite for a more independent foreign policy, even as many still view the alliance as important for national security.

The piece frames a sovereignty versus risk debate: experts warn expanded US access could pull Australia into future US-led conflicts, while officials stress alliance benefits and the ability to deploy decisions remain sovereign.

The Aukus submarine deal looms large, with plans for a larger US presence, including a potential rotation of up to 1,200 US personnel at HMAS Stirling, even as the government insists there are no foreign bases on sovereign Australian territory.

Key purposes for US access include intelligence gathering, satellite targeting data, intercepts, training such as 2,500 Marines in the Northern Territory, pre-positioning warfighting assets, and logistics hubs for Pacific contingencies, with Pine Gap and Bandiana highlighted as notable examples.

Analysts warn the US footprint in Australia risks becoming saturation or even colonisation of defence infrastructure, aligning Canberra with US strategic planning and potentially limiting Australia’s independent foreign and security choices.

A detailed map shows 17 US-controlled facilities with Australian access, 24 Australian facilities with combined US military and US corporate access, 51 Australian facilities with US military access, 18 Australian facilities with US corporate access, 41 Australian facilities with no significant US access, and 17 facilities with unresolved access.