Initially postponed due to coronavirus, the deployment of US Marines to the Top End is back on, but questions remain about how many are coming, when they'll arrive or where they'll be treated if any contract COVID-19.

A delayed rotation of US Marines to a defence base in Australia’s northern city of Darwin will go ahead based on strict adherence to Covid-19 measures, Australia’s defence minister said after speaking with her US counterpart.Up to 2,500 US Marines had been scheduled to arrive in April, in a major defence alliance cooperation exercise, but this was postponed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.The remote Northern Territory, which has recorded just 30 Covid-19 cases, closed its borders…

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES - The annual Cobra Gold military exercise got underway in Thailand on Tuesday, which saw US troops undergo a series of grueling and garish tasks.