Giant US-UK armada takes to water in ‘Talisman Sabre' show of force with aircraft carriers shrouded by fighter jet fleet
The impervious aircraft carriers and fighter jet fleets are taking part in live-fire exercises in Australia which include 35,000 military personnel from 19 different nations.
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Australia marked the historic event, the largest war drills in their history, by firing missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
The HIMARS launchers were recently bought from the US and were unleashed today at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland.
Elsewhere, a striking display of allied naval might saw the UK and US deploy their USS George Washington and the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carriers.
The UK - who sent over 3,000 troops - also used vessels such as HMS Richmond, HMS Dauntless, RFA Fort Victoria, and RFA Argus for the exercise.
The expansive multinational flotilla was shadowed by warships from Canada, Norway, and Australia as well.
The huge fleet were paired up with air operations and joint ground manoeuvres which took place across Australia's Northern Territory and Queensland.
Brigadier Nick Wilson told reporters after the drills: "Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day."
British Defence Secretary John Healey added: "The historic bonds between Britain and Australia run deep, and through AUKUS and exercises like Talisman Sabre we are strengthening these ties for the challenges of tomorrow.
"Our commitment to the Indo-Pacific is unwavering, as this huge military exercise demonstrates.
"We will continue to work alongside our closest allies to maintain the security and stability that underpins global prosperity."
Britain pledges more support to Ukraine as NATO warships prepare for largest drills since Cold War
Talisman Sabre has been a major biennial joint exercise ever since it was first announced in 2005 between the US and Australia.
This year saw dozens of other countries take part such as Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea among others.
The drills stretched all the way from Darwin to Brisbane as the allies imposed themselves across the Indo-Pacific.
The waters are often closely monitored by Chinese surveillance ships.
Beijing has kept a watchful eye over any naval exercises off the Australian coast during the last four Talisman Sabre exercises dating back to 2017.
Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said he expects China to monitor them again this time around.
Conroy said: "We'll adjust accordingly. We'll obviously observe their activities and monitor their presence around Australia.
"But we'll also adjust how we conduct those exercises."
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It all comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began a six-day visit to China of his own.
He is expected to hold a fourth face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.
Albanese said despite Chinese surveillance being a concern, he would not raise it as an issue amid the Talisman Sabre operations.
China has been routinely trying to scare the West through their own military drills in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, dramatic footage captured a fleet of Chinese tank boats charging through the sea in tight formation near Taiwan.
And China's new giant "sea monster" warplane was spotted for the first time in the Bohai Sea.
These developments have raised fears that a Chinese invasion on Taiwan could be imminent.
Bringing the self-governed province back in line with mainland China has been a goal of president Xi Jinping 's for a long time and recent military activity has shown that China is ready to take it back by force.
The self-governing nation has been protected by the firepower of ally America for decades.
The latest Talisman Sabre drills will give Taiwan further hope of protection from not only the US but also the entire allied fleet.
The exercises are also aimed towards striking fear into other Western allies such as North Korea and Russia.
Russia's relationship with Europe has drastically worsened as Vladimir Putin continues to defy all warnings and continue with his deadly invasion of Ukraine.
But even Vlad, with all his firepower and huge army, faces a serious battle against a unified West due to his lack of aircraft carriers.
Russia only boasts a single rustbucket carrier - but even that is poised to be scrapped after seven years of failed repairs.
Putin's 'Ship of Shame' has played no role in the war against Ukraine and has instead been languishing in the grim Arctic port of Murmansk, in northwestern Russia.
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