Ex Talisman Sabre 2025 officially launched

Australia’s largest bilateral military exercise, Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, officially commenced today following an opening ceremony on board HMAS Adelaide.

CAPTION: A Japanese Ground Self Defence Force Chū-SAM Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile system fires during a combined joint live-fire exercise at Shoalwater Bay Training Area as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. Photo by Leading Seaman Susan Mossop.

Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones joined United States Deputy Commanding General of US Army Pacific Lieutenant General Joel B. Vowell for the official opening at Garden Island, Sydney.

Now in its 11th iteration, Talisman Sabre 2025 is the largest and most sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted in Australia.

Over the next three weeks, more than 35,000 military personnel from Australia and partnering nations will deploy across Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales and Christmas Island – and, for the first time, activities will also be conducted outside of Australia, in Papua New Guinea. 

In addition to the United States, forces from Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom will join as partners. 

Malaysia and Vietnam will also attend as observers [with China also expected to observer closely as an regular, uninvited observer].

This year’s 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.

It will also feature a range of new Australian Defence Force capabilities, including UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and the Precision Strike Missile.

Lieutenant General Vowell said Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 was a powerful demonstration of combined strength, trust, interoperability, and readiness across the Indo-Pacific.

“As part of the Combined Joint Force, we train diligently and realistically to integrate capabilities across land, sea, air, cyber, and space domains, operating alongside our allies and partners from 19 nations,” Lieutenant General Vowell said.

“Exercises like Talisman Sabre allow us to employ war-winning capabilities, operate in critical locations, signal our multinational resolve, and galvanise 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.”

 

 

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