Hundreds of Australian Defence Force personnel will be shifted from Australia's south to the north in a move to prioritise training for action in our region.
The move to be announced today by the federal government is the biggest overhaul in more than a decade, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
About 800 troops will be shifted from Adelaide to bases in Darwin, Townsville and Brisbane by 2025 in a staged relocation.
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It will involve infantry units, tanks and armoured personnel carrier pulling out of the South Australia capital.
A new army brigade will be established in Adelaide to focus on long-range precision weapons, including the US-built High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
The shake-up comes because northern Australia is considered the best place to deploy forces for training, major exercises or to support regional allies.
The Defence Strategic Review (DSR) released in April found a major transformation was needed in Australian military forces to prepare for potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said back then Australia's current defence posture "is no longer fit for purpose".
The review was carried out by former ADF chief Angus Houston and former defence minister Stephen Smith.
It identified the army as the branch of the armed forces most in need of a big shake-up to repurpose it for future challenges.
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