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Largest Talisman Sabre Drills Begin In Australia

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AUSTRALIA hosts the largest-ever iteration of Exercise Talisman Sabre, comprising over 35,000 troops from 19 countries including personnel from Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United States and the United Kingdom while Malaysia and Vietnam attend as observers.

Initially starting as a biennial joint exercise between Australia and the US in 2005, the 11th edition of Talisman Sabre is now the largest and most sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted Down Under, with various military exercises being held across Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales, and Christmas Island over the next three weeks. Furthermore, the drills will also be carried out in Papua New Guinea, the first occurrence of drills outside of Australia.

The exercise will consist of live-fire exercises and field training activities, incorporating force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations. Additionally, the exercise will feature the debuts of the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) new UH-60M Black Hawks and Precision Strike Missiles. Australia’s UH-60M helicopters attained initial operating capability earlier this year in February.

Kicking off the exercises included the live-firing of Precision Strike Missiles from Australia’s new M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) rockets at Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Australian HIMARS operated in conjunction with other HIMARS launchers from the US Army and Singapore Army. The ADF received the first two HIMARS launchers earlier in March with 40 more units set to be delivered in the coming years. It marks the first time Australia fired the HIMARS in country and the first combined live-firing by the three countries.

High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems from the Australian Army, the United States Army and the Singapore Army fire a salvo of rockets during a combined joint live fire exercise in Queensland, Australia during Exercise Talisman Sabre 25. The exercise is designed to enhance combat readiness and interoperability with allies and partners. (Photo courtesy of ADF CPL Michael Rogers)

The Royal Navy’s (RN) Prince of Wales carrier strike group comprising the titular Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless, Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond, Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Hobart-class destroyer HMAS Sydney, Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec, Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen, fleet oiler RFA Tidespring will also take part in Talisman Sabre. Meanwhile, the US Navy’s America-class amphibious assault ship USS America, Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS San Diego are also taking part as part of the America Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) which embarks the US Marine Corps’ 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones said, “Exercise Talisman Sabre remains a powerful demonstration of Australia’s enduring commitment to strengthening relationships between trusted allies and partners, in support of a peaceful, stable and sovereign Indo-Pacific.”

Deputy Commanding General of US Army Pacific Lieutenant General Joel Vowell added, ““Exercises like Talisman Sabre allow us to employ war winning capabilities, operate in critical locations, signal our multinational resolve, and galvanize our collective will. This is how we generate deterrence and work towards our ultimate goal: no war. Together, we are building tactical trust, practicing our operational maneuvers, and reaffirming our strategic commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”–shp/adj/dl (Pix:US DOD)