AVALON, March 24 (Reuters) - Australia will bring

forward A$1 billion in defence spending in Tuesday's federal

budget to boost its military capability, including guided

weapons manufacture, an AUKUS submarine base and a frigate

program, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Monday.

Australia and other United States security allies are under

pressure from United States President Donald Trump to increase

defence spending.

Marles said the federal budget would contain an increase of

A$10.6 billion (US$6.66 billion) for defence over the next four

years, part of a previously announced A$50 billion boost over a

decade, which he said was the most significant increase in

defence spending since the end of the Second World War.

"Part of the A$10.6 billion sees bringing forward an

additional billion dollars and that is because of the need to

accelerate Australia's capability and development," Marles said

at the Avalon Air Show in Victoria.

"This will see us have ready HMAS Stirling, the Henderson

Defence Precinct for the establishment of the Submarine

Rotational Force West. This will see us move forward at a faster

pace in establishing the Guided Weapons and Explosives

Enterprise," he added.

Up to four United States and one British-commanded

nuclear-powered submarines will rotate through Australia's

biggest naval base, HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, from

2027 under AUKUS.

The earlier spending will also accelerate the purchase of a

frigate into the service fleet this decade, he said.

On Monday, Australia said it had received the first two of

42 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) launcher

vehicles ordered from Lockheed Martin ( LMT ), while the

manufacture of guided multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS)

would begin in Australia this year.

($1 = 1.5916 Australian dollars)