Final planning for Ex Talisman Sabre 23

This year’s Exercise Talisman Sabre will be the biggest yet in terms of geographic spread and the number of partner nations joining Australia and the United States.

FILE PHOTO: MV-22B Ospreys from the VMM-363 US Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron resting under the Townsville sunset during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 at RAAF Base Townsville. Photo by Corporal Ashley Gillett.

Partner nations taking part will include Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Indonesia.

Having been observers at previous iterations of the biennial exercise, France and Germany will contribute force elements to high-intensity warfighting training this year, taking place across northern Australia from Darwin to Townsville and Brisbane, from 22 July to 4 August.

Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga will embed personnel with Australian Army formations in amphibious landings and land combat.

Observer nations this year include the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Exercise Director Brigadier Damian Hill said the final planning conferences were held recently at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane.

“An important part of a significant military exercises like Talisman Sabre are the planning events that are required to train together in dynamic situations across an area as large as northern Australia,” Brigadier Hill said.

“So when it comes time to conduct the exercise in July we’re ready to go and show what we can do as likeminded partners working together.”

Brigadier General James Bartholomees, US Army Pacific in Hawaii, said Talisman Sabre gave the United States the opportunity to work with like-minded partners to rehearse setting the theatre across the joint force.

“Ultimately, Talisman Sabre is all about building readiness as a joint and combined force with our key allies, as well as building integrated deterrence,” General Bartholomees said.

“The sheer magnitude of forces, equipment and vehicles that are required to move vast distances in order to set the theatre, enables training opportunities.”

Director Joint Collective Training for Headquarters Joint Operations Command Royal Australian Navy Captain Tim Byles said the partner nations would bring capabilities to enhance the exercise’s outcomes.

“Whether it’s specialist individuals, or a respective weapon system or capability, it makes Talisman Sabre 2023 richer and enhances the outcomes for all involved,” Captain Byles said.

“We have worked hard with our friends at the United States Indo-Pacific Command to design an exercise that builds and affirms our military-to-military ties and interoperability with other nations.

“Our soldiers, sailors and aviators taking part can expect a good challenge of their skills alongside partner nations from across the region and around the world.”

A large component of the exercise will be held offshore, with many countries providing maritime capabilities.

Occurring every two years, Exercise Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military training activity between the ADF and the United States.

 

 

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