Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff
Headline: Readout of Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Meeting with Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Australian Chief of Navy
General Christopher J. Mahoney, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Australian Chief of Navy, at the Pentagon, 1 May 2026. The leaders discussed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Australia alliance, which for more than 70 years has advanced shared security interests and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. They emphasized the importance of the alliance—anchored in the ANZUS Treaty—in enhancing deterrence, accelerating defense innovation, and ensuring interoperability across domains.