The United States and Australia are discussing plans for a major increase in military ties as the Pentagon continues to focus attention on Southeast Asia. The expansion could see U.S. drones taking off from a coral atoll in the Indian Ocean as well as increased U.S. naval access to Australian ports. The talks follow an agreement to deploy up to 2,500 U.S. marines to Darwin, Australia. The United States is also finalizing a deal to station four warships in Singapore as part of its overall attempts to expand in the region.