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| HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide (File Photo) |
CPL Max Bree (author),
WO2 Andrew Hetherington (author)
Australian and US forces are gearing up for mid- to high-intensity warfare against ‘near-peer’ adversaries on the month-long Exercise TALISAMAN SABRE, which begins at the end of June.
Forces will clash in conventional, irregular and cyber battles in the Northern Territory and around the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.
More than 30,000 Australian and US personnel will undertake operations at sea, in the air and on land, with small contributions of personnel participating from New Zealand, Japan and Canada.
Director-General Australian Defence Force Simulation and Training Commodore Allison Norris said the exercise would be conducted at locations in the US, Australia and on three seas.
“Personnel will operate in Hawaii, Korea, Japan, the Northern Territory, Queensland and on the Timor, Coral and Arafura Seas,” Commodore Norris said.
“For the first time, the exercise will also use a non-Defence training area around Stanage Bay, to the north of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, for amphibious operations.”
TALISMAN SABRE is a US-led, Australian supported, combined and joint warfighting exercise, which Commodore Norris said would expose the 30,000 personnel to a wide range of military capabilities and training experiences.
HMA Ships Canberra, Choules, Anzac, Toowoomba, Ballarat, Darwin, Melbourne, Success, Diamantina, Huon, Gascoyne and Melville will all take part.