The key focus of Exercise Talisman Sabre (TS21) is moving from land to sea, as forces from Australia, United States, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom prepare for an action-packed amphibious phase. Activities will be concentrated around the Bowen and Ingham area between 23 and 31 July and will feature air operations, beach-landings, armoured vehicles, and urban operations. A beach landing in Ingham on 29 July will include Australian, United States, Japanese and British amphibious forces working together for the first time off the same ship.
Commander Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, Major General Jake Ellwood said,”The amphibious phase includes complex joint force manoeuvres. This is the culminating activity we’ve been working towards throughout the year. It’s the final test of our ability to operate as a joint force in a contested environment across land, sea, air, space and cyber. Around 20 ships and 60 aircraft will conduct war-at-sea training off the Queensland coast as part of a fictitious scenario. This will be a big milestone for our forces, demonstrating the strength of our partnership,” Major General Ellwood said.
Exercise Director, Air Commodore Stuart Bellingham said, ” extensive consultation has taken place during the last year to prepare for this training. TS21 wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support of the Queensland community. This year might look a little different to previous iterations of Talisman Sabre. We have reduced the scale but increased the complexity, with some activities taking place at night. We are absolutely committed to a safe exercise and have strict control measures in place to protect the community and the participants.”
TS21 is the largest bilateral combined training activity between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and United States (US) military. It is designed to test respective forces in planning and conducting Combined and Joint Task Force operations and improve the combat readiness and interoperability between Australian and US forces. Occurring every two years, Talisman Sabre reflects the closeness of alliance and strength of enduring military relationship. TS21 is the ninth iteration of the exercise and consists of a Field Training Exercise incorporating force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvre, urban operations, air combat and maritime operations.
