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American Military News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
35,00 troops, 19 nations join in massive military exercise
Thirty-five thousand troops from 19 different nations are currently participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 25, which is the largest joint military training event between the United States and Australia. In a Monday press release, the U.S. Army announced that Exercise Talisman Sabre 25 'formally commenced today from the flight deck of HMAS Adelaide in Sydney Harbor, launching military activities involving 19 nations and over 30,000 service members across land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.' The Army noted that this year's joint military exercise is the 'largest bilateral military training event between the United States and Australia to date.' Lt. Gen. Joel B. Vowell, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, explained that Exercise Talisman Sabre provides two main things for U.S. forces in the region. 'It's readiness to respond when our nations call us to do that, and it's effectively a deterrent mechanism, because our ultimate goal, part two here, is no war,' Vowell said. 'By rehearsing, by practicing together, by staying in tune with each other, we are providing that readiness to our armies, our navies, our air forces, our space forces, our cyber forces.' According to The Associated Press, Monday's military exercise activities included Australia the launching of missiles from the country's M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which was recently purchased from the United States. Brig. Nick Wilson announced, '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.' READ MORE: Video: US military presence expands in Australia amid tension with China The Associated Press reported that the United States and Australia started the joint Talisman Sabre exercise in 2005. The outlet cited Australia's defense department, which said that over 35,000 military personnel would be participating in this year's exercise. Australia, the United States, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom are participating in this year's military exercise, according to The Associated Press. In addition to the military exercise activities in Australia, The Associated Press reported that this year's joint exercise will also feature activities in Papua New Guinea. According to the outlet, Australian Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy noted that Chinese surveillance ships have previously monitored the last four Talisman Sabre exercises off Australia's coast and are expected to monitor this year's exercise as well. 'The Chinese military have observed these exercises since 2017. It'd be very unusual for them not to observe it,' Conroy stated. '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.'
7NEWS
15-07-2025
- Politics
- 7NEWS
CHRIS REASON: As PM charms China, Australia hosts 19-nation war games with eyes on Beijing
The timing was as extraordinary as it was unfortunate. The very week Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chose to go charm China, Australia's armed forces begin training to go to war with them. It's quite the diary clash; his appointments secretary might need to reconsider their position. Exercise Talisman Sabre. It's locked in around the same time every two years and has been since 2005. And this year was the biggest, most ambitious, and significant iteration of them all: 19 nations, 40,000 troops, all coming together to focus on just one increasingly troubling adversary: China. There was a time Talisman would rattle that sabre at a so-called 'unknown adversary' and the assembled press and generals would wink and nod their heads, knowing that was code for the People's Republic. Like fine China itself, identification was always handled with care. Not anymore. The fingers of 19 nations are firmly pointed at the neighbourhood rogue; happy to point China out. There's almost an urgency about it now. At the Talisman Sabre opening ceremony, held on the expansive landing deck of the Australian giant HMAS Adelaide on Sunday, the ADF Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones, had no hesitancy or inhibitions in putting China's name firmly on the table. When asked what message the coalition of Talisman partners was sending in the three-week exercise, it was all about China. 'Well, I will leave it to China to interpret what 19 friends, allies and partners wanting to operate together in the region means to them,' he said. 'But for me, it's nations that are in search of a common aspiration for peace, stability, a free and open Indo-Pacific and adherence to international law.' Vice Admiral Jones was also happy to openly discuss the expected arrival of China's spy ships. 'I fully expect that the People's Republic of China will want to come and observe the activities that occur as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre,' he said. 'They've made a habit of those over preceding iterations of the exercise.' Adding cryptically: 'And we have measures in place to cater for that.' But he also revealed that if they were on the way, they're late. 'There is no sign yet,' he said. It could be that the PLA Navy leadership held back any orders to dispatch their ships while Mr Albanese was still their official visitor this week. A gesture of goodwill, perhaps. But they won't want to leave it much longer; there's a lot to spy on. Exercise Director Brigadier Damien Hill, who's been planning the event for the last 700 days, says he's counted a total of 79 defence 'innovations' about to be unveiled at Talisman. Two of which the organisers were happy to discuss publicly. The first is Australia's newly-acquired HIMARS highly mobile rocket launch system — the so-called 'shoot and scoot' weapon. It can fire rockets at a range of up to 500km. Even out to sea — almost as far as the Chinese ships conducting live fire exercises off the coast in February. The ADF has bought 42 units. And it's excited. These were the first items displayed in a breathtaking live fire exercise at Shoalwater Bay on the opening day of the exercise yesterday. The second breakthrough acquisition: the ADF's new submersible drones. I asked the US Deputy Commanding General, Lt Gen Joel Vowell, if we'd see any used in TS25. In fact, I'd walked straight past one as we boarded the Adelaide. And he confirmed, it will be used. The boldly-named 'Ghost Shark' was jointly developed and funded between Defence and Anduril Australia. They are a naval warfare game changer — able to be used for long-range stealth operations at a depth of 6000m and gather intelligence, or deliver strike capabilities. World-leading Aussi-tech — on-budget, ahead of schedule. They are one of the rare success stories of ADF procurement. Expect to see a proliferation of them in the years to come. Proud acquisitions — but the reality remains that whatever new toys Australia purchases for its tiny 60,000-strong military, it is dwarfed by the size and scale of the Chinese war machine. The PLA consists of two million personnel, 2500 aircraft, 7000 tanks and 350 ships. The ADF is currently made up of 327 aircraft, 59 tanks, and 34 ships. But here's the thing about Talisman — if you combine the strengths of the 19 members, suddenly China looks challenged. The combined membership matches it in personnel with two million total, and dwarfs China on assets with 15,000 aircraft, 50,000 tanks and 400 ships. It's quite the exercise coalition. Led, of course, by the world's biggest military machine, the US (the original co-founding member along with Australia). It now boasts almost all of the region's key players: India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand (with Malaysia and Vietnam attending as observers). On top of that, there are multiple NATO heavy hitters: Canada, France, Germany and the UK. Any and all of whom could be handy in a new global order where America First means Australia second. The coming years could well see us looking to lean on the countries above for greater security assistance. Not that the Americans involved in Talisman are having any of that. Lt Gen Vowell still describes the US-Australian alliance as 'ironclad'. 'It's one of our treaty alliances . . . of the seven the United States has,' he said. 'Australia is a key anchoring ally in the Indo-Pacific.' 'Big things have small beginnings, and just a few years ago, this was a bilateral exercise,' he said. 'And now with 19 nations involved, it's a signal of just how important staying and working together is in this region.' Lt Gen Vowell said that ultimately, there are two things that Talisman Sabre provides. 'It's the readiness to respond when our nation's call is to do that,' he said. 'And it's effectively a deterrent mechanism.' 'Because our ultimate goal, is no war.' The mixed messages Australia and Mr Albanese are sending to China right now might not be as contradictory as first thought.
Hans India
14-07-2025
- General
- Hans India
Largest-ever military exercise, consisting of 19 countries and 35,000 troops, kicks off in Australia
Talisman Sabre 2025, the largest-ever military exercise, kicked off in Sydney on Monday, bringing together over 35,000 troops from Australia, the US and other partnering nations, according to the Australian Ministry of Defence. First began in 2005, Talisman Sabre started as a bilateral military exercise between Australia and the US. This year, over 35,000 troops from across 19 countries came together in Australia's Sydney to participate in the exercise following an opening ceremony on board HMAS Adelaide (an Australian naval ship) at Garden Island. According to the US Embassy 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. "For the first time, activities will also be conducted outside of Australia in Papua New Guinea. Malaysia and Vietnam will also attend as observers," said the US Embassy in Australia It added that along with the US and Australia, 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 the military exercise as partners. The Australian Ministry of Defence said that Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25) will be the 11th and largest iteration of the exercise, which will consist of a live fire exercise and field training exercises incorporating force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations. According to Australian Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, Talisman Sabre provides an "unrivalled opportunity to train together" across the sea, land, air, space and cyber domains. "It 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," he said. "Defence appreciates the support of the community for our essential training, throughout planning to execution, we have been conducting site surveys and meetings with state authorities, traditional owners and key stakeholders to inform a safe and productive exercise for all participating nations," he added. Deputy Commanding General US Army Pacific Lieutenant General Joel B. Vowell said that the Talisman Sabre 2025 is a "powerful demonstration of the combined strength, trust, interoperability, and readiness across the Indo-Pacific." "Together, we are building tactical trust, practising our operational manoeuvres, and reaffirming our strategic commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," he asserted.
Malaysia Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysia Sun
India participates in Australia's largest bilateral military exercise, Talisman Sabre, for first time
Adelaide [Australia], July 14 (ANI): India has made its debut in Australia's largest bilateral military exercise, Exercise Talisman Sabre, marking a significant milestone in the deepening defence and security cooperation between the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region. India's participation in the exercise was confirmed by Australia's High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, in a post on X. 'A significant step forward in deepening India-Australia cooperation on defence and security in the Indo-Pacific,' Green stated in the post on Wednesday. According to a post by Talisman Sabre on X, a total of 19 nations will be joining the exercise, including the US and 16 other partner nations and two observer nations. As per Australia's Department of Defence, Exercise Talisman Sabre, the country's largest bilateral military exercise, officially commenced on Sunday, following an opening ceremony on board HMAS Adelaide. Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, joined US Deputy Commanding General of US Army Pacific, Lieutenant General Joel B Vowell, for the official opening at Garden Island in Sydney. Talisman Sabre 2025 is the 11th iteration of the largest and most sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted in Australia. As per the country's Department of Defence, over the next three weeks, as part of the exercise, 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, with activities conducted outside of Australia in Papua New Guinea for the first time. In addition to the US, 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 UK will join as partners. Malaysia and Vietnam will also attend as observers. 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 Hawks and the Precision Strike Missile. (ANI)
India Gazette
14-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India participates in Australia's largest bilateral military exercise, Talisman Sabre, for first time
Adelaide [Australia], July 14 (ANI): India has made its debut in Australia's largest bilateral military exercise, Exercise Talisman Sabre, marking a significant milestone in the deepening defence and security cooperation between the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region. India's participation in the exercise was confirmed by Australia's High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, in a post on X. 'A significant step forward in deepening India-Australia cooperation on defence and security in the Indo-Pacific,' Green stated in the post on Wednesday. According to a post by Talisman Sabre on X, a total of 19 nations will be joining the exercise, including the US and 16 other partner nations and two observer nations. As per Australia's Department of Defence, Exercise Talisman Sabre, the country's largest bilateral military exercise, officially commenced on Sunday, following an opening ceremony on board HMAS Adelaide. Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, joined US Deputy Commanding General of US Army Pacific, Lieutenant General Joel B Vowell, for the official opening at Garden Island in Sydney. Talisman Sabre 2025 is the 11th iteration of the largest and most sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted in Australia. As per the country's Department of Defence, over the next three weeks, as part of the exercise, 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, with activities conducted outside of Australia in Papua New Guinea for the first time. In addition to the US, 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 UK will join as partners. Malaysia and Vietnam will also attend as observers. 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 Hawks and the Precision Strike Missile. (ANI)
