Australia will purchase from the United States 10 military planes and other equipment worth $950 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency informed the U.S. Congress on Wednesday on the sales of C-27J aircraft, missile warning systems and radar.

The new acquisition is expected to help improve the air mobility and capability of the Australian Defence Force to run humanitarian and disaster relief operations in Southeast Asia.

The announcement of Washington's approval of the sale came a month after the Australia visit of U.S. President Barack Obama who unveiled plans to send up to 2,500 American Marines to Australia where a training centre will be opened to help U.S. allies and protect American interests in Asia.

Australia will use the new aircraft to replace the Caribou which it retired in 2009 and to take over the transport role of the C-130H which will be retired by 2016.

Canberra also ordered from Washington 23 Rolls-Royce AE2100D2 engines, radios, electronic warfare equipment, portable flight mission planning systems, support and test equipment, spares, aircraft ferry and tanker support, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, an operational flight simulator and maintenance trainers.