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Sky News AU
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Chinese academics take aim at Australia over hosting US missile during war games Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025
Australia has been labelled a 'tool' of the United States as Chinese academics have hit out over a US missile being on Australian soil during a major war games exercise. This year's edition of Exercise Talisman Sabre saw the US military debut its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also referred to as the Dark Eagle, for the first time outside of the US mainland. US Army Pacific, a branch of army in the Indo-Pacific, earlier this month said showcasing the weapon in the Northern Territory was a "historic milestone" and that it marked a "significant achievement for US Indo-Pacific Command". Chinese academics have since taken aim at the incident, with East China Normal University Australia analyst Chen Hong making bold claims about Australia-US military ties. 'Australia has not only already been a tool of the US Indo-Pacific strategy, but is increasingly becoming both a strategic and tactical weapon for Washington across multiple aspects,' Mr Hong reportedly told the Hong Kong-based South China Post. Shanghai Fudan University strategist Xin Qiang told the publication that China-US military tensions were now "likely to further intensify". 'I think China will certainly maintain a high level of alertness and attention to this,' the academic said. 'The military and security rivalry or competition between China and the US in the Indo-Pacific is likely to further intensify." Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel J. Paparo described Australia a "key ally" as he hailed the missile's appearance in the region. "The deployment of the LRHW system to Australia marks a significant achievement for US Indo-Pacific Command, as it validates the Army's ability to deploy, position, and exercise command and control (C2) of the system in a forward environment," Admiral Samuel J. Paparo said in a statement on August 2. 'The exercise demonstrates the Combatant Command's capacity to project power and support the defense of Australia, a key ally in the region.' More than 30,000 military personnel from 19 countries had been expected to take part in this year's Exercise Talisman Sabre between July 13 and August 4, according to the Australian Defence Force. The focus on this year's exercise was on multi-domain warfighting. Actives took place across the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and on Christmas Island.
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
War with China ‘would result in large-scale casualties,' Army general says
The number of casualties the U.S. military would suffer in a war against China could be unlike anything it has experienced during the post-9/11 wars, said Lt. Gen. Joel 'JB' Vowell, deputy commanding general for U.S. Army Pacific. 'Our assumptions for planning is that casualty estimates will be much higher than you might have seen or witnessed as part of the Global War on Terror between Iraq and Afghanistan and other places where there are very small numbers, relatively in contacts who were who were killed and injured, as compared to large-scale combat operations,' Vowell recently told reporters. 'A potential conflict with the People's Republic of China likely would result in large-scale casualties.' China has a growing arsenal of hypersonic missiles and other advanced weapons that could pose a major threat to U.S. ships, including aircraft carriers, which can have a crew of up to 5,000 sailors and Marines. 'Those potential casualties are there, so we have to calculate that mass casualty event,' Vowell told reporters at a July 22 Defense Writers Group event, which is based at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, has conducted 50 war games in recent years looking at a possible Chinese invasion or blockade of Taiwan that estimated between 9,500 to 21,000 U.S. troops would be killed and wounded, and that the American military would lose dozens of ships and hundreds of planes, said retired Marine Corps Col. Mark Cancian, a senior advisor with the think tank. The reason the casualty numbers are not higher is the scenarios did not envision U.S. troops being involved in ground combat, Cancian told Task & Purpose. Taiwanese ground forces fought Chinese troops in these wargames. U.S. casualties would likely run higher if American ground troops were tasked with defending Taiwan or recapturing lost allied territories, such as Matsu and Kinmen islands, which are governed by Taiwan, he said. Top Stories This Week News The Army has a novel solution to its drone problem: Shoot them with tanks The Army has a novel solution to its drone problem: Shoot them with tanks By Matt White Culture An Army pilot and mechanic switched units for a week. Here's how that went. An Army pilot and mechanic switched units for a week. Here's how that went. By Patty Nieberg News Air Force Global Strike Command suspends use of M18 pistol after airman's death Air Force Global Strike Command suspends use of M18 pistol after airman's death By Jeff Schogol While tens of thousands of U.S. troops were injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, they frequently received life-saving care quickly. Air superiority often allowed U.S. military helicopters to evacuate service members to Combat Support Hospitals and Forward Surgical Teams with the 'golden hour' — or 60 minutes from being wounded. Far more service members would be wounded and need to be medically evacuated in a conflict with China than the U.S. military has had to deal with during the Global War on Terrorism, Vowell said. 'It's not a simple problem of the golden hour,' he said, adding that instead of the U.S. military having to transport one or two service members wounded by an improvised explosive device to surgical teams,'It'll be hundreds.' To treat the casualties from a war with China, the U.S. military would likely need to partner with other countries, deploy updated versions of Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals in forward areas, and transport patients out of the region for surgical care, Vowell said. But evacuating casualties from the Western Pacific to advanced trauma centers far from the front lines would be a 'huge challenge' given the vastness of the Indo-Pacific region, Vowell said. 'And I'll be honest, I don't know if we have the full answer on it,' he added. Manila in the Philippines is about 7,400 miles from San Diego. That's more than twice the distance between New York and London, Vowell said. It is even further to get from the Arctic Circle to New Zealand. Exacerbating the problems of transporting wounded troops such long distances, China can keep combat zones under persistent surveillance and strike U.S. ships and airfields, he said. In addition to evacuating wounded troops, bringing fallen service members home could also prove to be difficult, said Vowell, who noted that more than 17,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who were killed in World War II are interred at Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. 'That's why we have overseas cemeteries,' Vowell said. 'We don't want to have to do that again.' All these challenges underscore the scale of how destructive a conflict with China would be, he said. 'And so, the ultimate goal here, ladies and gentlemen, is no war,' Vowell said. 'It would be catastrophic on a humanitarian scale, civilians, military alike. It'd be catastrophic on a global economic scale. And so medically, we practice what to do to protect and to triage and to evacuate our soldiers, I think we've got work to do there.'
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.
Mint
14-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Albanese Reaffirms Taiwan Stance as He Starts China Visit
Australia opposes any unilateral moves to change the Taiwan Strait status quo, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said as he began a trip to China to maintain steady ties with his country's top trading partner. 'It's important that we have a consistent position, which Australia has had for a long period of time,' Albanese said at a news conference in Shanghai on Sunday. 'We don't support any unilateral action there. We have a clear position, and we have been consistent about that.' His comments come after the Financial Times reported over the weekend that the Pentagon is pressing Australia and China to clarify their roles if China invades Taiwan. Beijing has pledged to bring Taiwan under its control eventually, by force if necessary. The US has urged countries such as Australia, Japan and South Korea to boost defense spending and support its efforts to counter what it views as China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. All three nations, which have security agreements with the US, list China as their top trading partner and try to walk a careful line between Washington and Beijing. Earlier this year, President Xi Jinping expanded China's Indo-Pacific presence by testing US allies on sensitive issues. This included sending warships off Australia's coast for unprecedented shooting drills and flying a record number of balloons with possible military applications around Taiwan. Japan has also faced pressure from heightened Chinese coast guard and military activity around uninhabited islands that Tokyo controls in the East China Sea. Albanese's reference to the 'status quo' signals support for Taiwan's current de facto autonomy without endorsing formal independence, while maintaining recognition of the One China policy. His remarks highlight Australia's opposition to any unilateral move — especially by force — to alter the cross-strait balance. Albanese is on a six-day trip to China to boost economic ties. On Sunday in Shanghai, he launched a tourism campaign featuring Australian icon 'Ruby the Roo' and fielded questions on defense spending and Taiwan. Albanese said Australia is increasing its defense spending 'considerably,' referring to a plan to invest A$57 billion over 10 years. 'Our aim of investing in our capability and as well, investing in our relationships, is about advancing peace and security in our region,' he said. 'That's our objective, and that is why we're investing in it.' As the Australian leader went to China, his country and Papua New Guinea began hosting multinational military exercises known as Talisman Sabre that run for about three weeks. The drills, which include amphibious landings, air operations and sea maneuvers, involve about 35,000 personnel from the US, Australia, Japan, South Korea and more than a dozen other security partners. They are 'meant to illustrate the closeness of the US-Australia alliance and the strength of the military-to-military relationship,' the US Army Pacific said in a statement. When asked about the drills on Monday, Albanese said: 'That is nothing unusual,' adding 'I will continue to assert Australia's national interest, as I do.' This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
GMA Network
18-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
PH Army, US Army Pacific conduct Salaknib drills
PH Army, US Army Pacific conduct Salaknib drills as part of Salaknib Phase 2. Screenshot from PH Army video The Philippine Army (PA) and the US Army Pacific (USARPAC) are conducting joint training drills in Cagayan Valley from June 16 to 19, 2025 as part of Salaknib Phase 2. According to a statement on Wednesday, the drills included more than 100 mobility assets from both ground forces in a ground convoy operation from Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija to the Bagabag Airstrip in Nueva Vizcaya; Isabela State University Oval in Echague, Isabela; and Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela. Military Free Fall drills were also conducted by both forces at the Bagabag Airstrip in Nueva Vizcaya, as well as Fast Rope Insertion at Extraction System (FRIES) drills in Isabela. The combined operations intended to observe the buildup of combat power in support of territorial defense, utilizing assets of both the PA and USARPAC. 'The ongoing drills between Filipino and American ground forces align with the Philippine Army's thrust to adopt mobile, agile and sustainable forces that can rapidly respond to various missions and contingencies,' the statement read. As part of the drills, tank assets will also be deployed to Port Irene, Cagayan using US Navy Landing Craft Units. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News
