US defence: Secrets and turbulence aboard Lloyd Austin’s ‘Doomsday plane’

In the dimly lit passageway outside, senior officials are walking to and from meetings with Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin.

Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin answers questions from the travelling press aboard the E-4B NAOC. Chad J.

There, Austin met with a dozen of the region’s defence ministers, including Australia’s Richard Marles and China’s General Wei Fenghe, to wheel and deal on peace and security.

Lloyd Austin in Jakarta with Indonesia Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto. AP.

While Austin is speaking with Indonesian General Andika Perkasa, commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, an earthquake centred on Cianjur, south of Jakarta, shakes the capital.

Of the multitude of ASEAN Defence Minister Meetings Plus on Austin’s agenda, by far the most important was the 90-minute unplanned face-to-face with Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe.

They made a sharp turn into China’s meeting room across from America’s.

Austin and his senior defence personnel have been demanding greater transparency from China in the Indo-Pacific, saying deals should not be “in the dark”.