Exercise Talisman Saber

Last updated

A United States Marine (at left) and an Australian soldier working together during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Brian M. Ellis, left, the air officer for Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, coordinates with Australian Army Bombardier Corey W 130803-M-PZ610-008.jpg
A United States Marine (at left) and an Australian soldier working together during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013

Exercise Talisman Sabre (also formerly spelled Talisman Saber, the US English alternative title) is a biennial, multinational military exercise led by Australia and the United States. Talisman Sabre involves joint exercises performed by the Australian Defence Force and the United States Military across six locations in northern and central Australia, the Coral Sea, and in Honolulu, Denver, and Suffolk, Va., though the bulk of the exercises are concentrated at the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area and other locations in northern and central Australia and Australia's territorial sea and exclusive economic zone. [1]

Contents

To reflect its bilateral nature, the leadership of the exercise switches between Australia and the US every 2 years. [2] The exercise focuses on crisis-action planning and contingency response, enhancing both nations' military capabilities to deal with regional contingencies and the War on Terrorism. The exercise is historically held in odd-numbered years starting from 2005, with the ninth iteration taking place in 2021.

Annual exercises

An Australian M1 Abrams tank during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015 Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank during exercise Hamel 15.jpg
An Australian M1 Abrams tank during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015
A US admiral describes participation in Talisman Sabre 2019

Talisman Saber 2005 was the inaugural exercise in this series, conducted 12–27 June 2005, in Shoalwater Bay, Rockhampton, Townsville, and the Coral Sea, with 16,000 US and Australian troops. Planning for the exercises began in early 2003, and the exercise was meant to combine elements from previous exercises Tandem Thrust, Kingfisher, and Crocodile. During the exercise, U.S. Pacific Command and Australian Defence Force Joint Operations Command jointly executed more than 25 landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) trips and more than 1,300 Australian S-70A Blackhawk and MH-60S Knight Hawk landings and takeoffs. [3] [4]

Talisman Sabre 2007 involved 26,000 US and Australian troops over 10 June – 25 July. The exercise primarily took place at Shoalwater Bay, the Townsville Field Training Area, and the Bradshaw Field Training Area in central Queensland and in the Northern Territory. The exercise also involved the use of civilian airports including Sydney and Brisbane, and RAAF Base Amberley. A focal point of the exercises was a joint amphibious landing that involved the launch of more than 2,500 personnel from six ships early on 20 June. [5] [6] [7]

Talisman Saber 2009 was conducted 6–25 July 2009, with 10,000 Australian land and naval forces and 20,000 U.S. troops. The exercise was led by the United States and was conducted primarily at Shoalwater Bay and the Townsville Field Training Area. It involved various amphibious assault exercises and ship defense exercises. [1] [8]

Talisman Sabre 2011 was conducted in July 2011 and was led by Australian forces. [9] [10] It incorporated "combined Special Forces operations, parachute drops, amphibious (marine) landings, land force maneuvers, urban and air operations and the coordinated firing of live ammunition." [11]

Talisman Saber 2013 saw MV-22s deployed to Australia for the first time. [12] Involved approximately 21,000 US and 7,000 AUS personnel with Carrier Strike Group Five, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and the Spanish oiler Cantabria. [13] [14]

Talisman Sabre 2015 was conducted over 20 days from early to mid-July 2015 and involved up to 30,000 US and Australian troops. It was the largest combined military exercise undertaken by the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Defense forces from New Zealand (500 personnel) and Japan (40 personnel) joined the exercise for the first time this year. [15] The activities took place in the North Australian Range Complex (Bradshaw and Mount Bundy Training Areas and Delamere Air Weapons Range) and the East Australian Range Complex (Shoalwater Bay, Townsville and Cowley Beach Training Areas). [16] A large-scale amphibious landing was also conducted at Fog Bay in the Northern Territory. [17]

Talisman Saber 2017 began in June 2017 and involved more than 33,000 Australian and US troops. Alongside the USS Bonhomme Richard, 20 other ships and over 200 aircraft took part in what was the countries' largest exercise to date. [18] Personnel from New Zealand, Japan, and Canada were embedded within Australian and United States units. [19] Additionally, the Chinese Navy deployed a Type 815G Dongdiao-class electronic surveillance ship to monitor the exercise. [20]

Talisman Sabre 2019 began in July 2019, with more than 34,000 personnel participating from 18 countries, including Australia, United States, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. The Exercise was officially launched on 8 July 2019 on board USS Ronald Reagan. Once again, the Chinese Navy sent a Type 815G Dongdiao-class ship, the Tianwangxing (Uranus), to monitor the exercise, and there was speculation that China had a "keen interest" in how Japan's vessels interacted with and operated alongside the ADF and the US forces. The F-35B also made its debut in Australia during the exercise aboard USS Wasp. It was also the first time that both Canberra-class LHDs, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, had operated together. [21] [20] [22] [23] [24]

Talisman Saber 2021 was conducted in July 2021. The exercise was modified in scope and scale, with added health protection measures due to COVID-19 considerations. More than 17,000 personnel from Australia and the United States and forces from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom, while the Australia-based personnel from India, Indonesia, France and Germany observed the exercise. [25] Additionally, MIM-104 Patriot Systems were tested in the exercise for the first time. For what was believed to be also the first time, the Chinese Navy deployed two Type 815 spy ships to observe the exercise: the Tianwangxing and her younger sister the Haiwangxing (Neptune). [26] [27] [28]

Opposition and protests

Protest during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2007 Ts07protest.JPG
Protest during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2007

There have been regular protests against the exercises since 2007.

There was opposition to Talisman Sabre 2007 from peace activists and a number of environmental groups, with environmental concerns ranging from general contamination to the purported damaging effects of sonar on local marine life. [29] The Australian and American militaries have previously recognized the environmental concerns of operating in this area, with troops undergoing environmental impact briefings before arriving at the location in 2005, and an environmental training center to be constructed before the 2007 exercise. [30]

United States Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit train at Shoalwater Bay during Talisman Sabre 2007. US Marines Talisman Saber 07.jpg
United States Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit train at Shoalwater Bay during Talisman Sabre 2007.

In 2013 a number of protesters ventured into the live-fire zone of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. More protestors pledged to disrupt the exercises in 2015.

Environmental concerns

There have been concerns that depleted uranium munitions, which have been linked to increased incidence of cancer[ citation needed ], posing significant health risks, have been used at the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area during Exercise Talisman Saber. Prior to the 2005 exercise, the Australian Department of Defence issued a press release which stated that depleted uranium "will not be used in TS05 by either Australian or US forces" and that this was "unequivocal". [31] This commitment was reiterated prior to Talisman Saber 2009. [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Kitty Hawk</i> (CV-63) Decommissioned aircraft carrier of the US Navy

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), formerly CVA-63, was a United States Navy supercarrier. She was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight. Kitty Hawk was the first of the three Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carriers to be commissioned and the last to be decommissioned.

USS <i>Bonhomme Richard</i> (LHD-6) Wasp-class amphibious assault ship

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship of the United States Navy commissioned on 15 August 1998. Like the previous five Wasp-class ships, Bonhomme Richard was designed to embark, deploy, and land elements of a Marine Corps landing force in amphibious assault operations by helicopter, landing craft, and amphibious vehicle, and, if needed, to act as a light aircraft carrier.

The Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the exception of 2020 where it was held in August. It is hosted and administered by the United States Navy's Indo-Pacific Command, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii.

USS <i>Momsen</i>

USS Momsen (DDG-92) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in service with the United States Navy. Momsen is the twenty-sixth destroyer of the Arleigh Burke class to be built by Bath Iron Works. She is named after Vice Admiral Charles B. "Swede" Momsen of Flushing, Queens, New York (1896–1967). Vice Admiral Momsen made many contributions to the navy such as the invention of the Momsen Lung when he was assigned to the Bureau of Construction and Repair. Momsen was also involved in the first successful rescue of a crew of a sunken submarine, USS Squalus, and subsequently supervised the salvage of the boat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Five Power Defence Arrangements</span> Series of defence relationships from 1971

The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) are a series of bilateral defence relationships established by a series of multi-lateral agreements between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, all of which are Commonwealth members that once belonged to the British Empire.

HMAS <i>Perth</i> (D 38) Guided missile destroyer of the Australian Navy, sunk as a dive site off Western Australia

HMAS Perth was the lead ship of the Perth-class guided missile destroyers operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Built in the United States to a modified version of the Charles F. Adams design, Perth entered service with the RAN in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoalwater Bay</span> River in Queensland, Australia

Shoalwater Bay is a large bay on the Capricorn Coast of Central Queensland, Australia 100 km north of the coastal town of Yeppoon and 628 km north-north-west of the state capital, Brisbane. Since 1966, the land surrounding Shoalwater Bay has been under the ownership of the Australian Defence Force, for the purpose of military training exercises. Shoalwater Bay is also a noted dugong habitat and is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The bay is bounded by the Torilla Peninsula to the west and the Warginburra Peninsula and Leicester and Townshend islands to the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exercise Bright Star</span> US–Egyptian military exercise

Exercise Bright Star is a series of biannual combined and joint military exercises led by the United States and Egypt. The exercises began in 1980, rooted in the 1977 Camp David Accords. After its signing, the United States Armed Forces and the Egyptian Armed Forces agreed to conduct training together in Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exercise Northern Edge</span>

Exercise Northern Edge is a military joint training exercise conducted by the United States Armed Forces in the Gulf of Alaska. Alaskan Command (ALCOM) uses expansive Alaskan training ranges to conduct this joint training operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ash Power</span> Australian Army officer

Lieutenant General Brian Ashley "Ash" Power is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army. Power served as Chief of Joint Operations from 2011 until his retirement in May 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HSC-14</span> Military unit

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 14 (HSC-14) "Chargers" is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station North Island, California (USA). HSC-14 was established as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 14 (HS-14) in 1984 and was redesignated HSC-14 in 2013. The squadron is equipped with the Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command</span> Military unit

The 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command is an activated Air Defense Artillery command of the United States Army assigned to United States Army Pacific. It is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawai'i at the Pacific Air Force Headquarters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Nanook</span> Annual Canadian Armed Forces sovereignty operation

Operation Nanook is an annual sovereignty operation and manoeuvre warfare exercise conducted by the Canadian Armed Forces in the Arctic. Sovereignty patrols in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and northern Canada are conducted by the Canadian Rangers, Canadian Coast Guard in tandem with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The exercise portion is intended to train the different elements of the Canadian Armed Forces to operate in the Arctic environment.

Pacific Pathways is a program run by United States Army Pacific (USARPAC) and carried out by I Corps with the goal of expanding the Army's engagement in the Pacific region and reducing costs. It involves linking multiple military exercises together to create a "Pathway". The concept of the program was first created by General Vincent K. Brooks in 2014. Previous Pathways have included exercises in Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palau, the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and the United States.

Type 815 spy ship

The Type 815, as well as its derivatives Type 815G and Type 815A, are Chinese electronic surveillance ships in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Type 815 spy ship has received NATO reporting name Dongdiao class, while its successors Type 815G & 815A have received NATO reporting name Dongdiao II class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delamere Air Weapons Range</span>

Delamere Air Weapons Range is a bombing range operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), located in the Northern Territory of Australia. The facility is located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) south of the town of Katherine and RAAF Base Tindal, Australia's largest airbase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exercise Kangaroo</span>

Exercise Kangaroo was a joint warfare exercise that was held by the Australian Defence Force in the 1970s and 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vostok 2018</span> 2018 Russian military exercise

Vostok 2018 was a large-scale Russian military exercise, held from 11 to 17 September 2018, throughout Siberia and the Russian Far East in the Eastern Military District. The exercise involved units from the Army, Air Force and Navy. China and Mongolia, which also participated, became the first countries outside of the former Soviet Union to join the Vostok exercises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military</span> Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the military

Armed forces play a crucial role when responding to crises and emergencies. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, militaries were readily deployed in many countries to assist the civilian medical personnel and overwhelmed hospitals by creating additional hospitals and providing other additional resources. Apart from the management of the health crises, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the military operations. The security and defence related aspects including the missions, operations and training were adversely affected with the Covid-19. The broad spread of Covid can limit the defence forces' ability to carry out a mission. Many military training and exercises have been postponed or cancelled.

References

  1. 1 2 Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson. "Exercise Talisman Saber concludes". Af.mil. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  2. "Exercise Talisman Saber 2009 - Department of Defence". Defence.gov.au. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  3. Photographer's Mate 2nd Class (AW) D. Arthur Jones and Photographer's Mate 3rd Class James Bartels, USS Boxer Public Affairs (2 June 2005). "Boxer Completes Talisman Saber 2005". Navy.mil. Archived from the original on 15 April 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  4. "Talisman Sabre". Department of Defence. 2005. Archived from the original on 13 July 2005.
  5. "Exercise Talisman Sabre". Department of Defence. 2007. Archived from the original on 6 June 2007.
  6. John Pike. "Australian-U.S. Expeditionary Forces Complete Talisman Saber 2007". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  7. "U.S. Joint Forces Command supports Exercise Talisman Saber 2007". Aircav.com. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  8. USS George Washington Public Affairs. "George Washington Carrier Strike Group Begins Talisman Saber". Navy.mil. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  9. "About the Exercise". Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011. Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
  10. "Locations". Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011: Public Environment Report. Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 14 July 2011.
  11. "Factsheet1/5" (PDF). Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011: Public Environment Report. Department of Defence. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  12. "20,000 US troops descend on Australia for training."
  13. "Talisman Saber 2013". Department of Defence Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  14. "Exercise Talisman Saber fleet prepares for battle". Department of Defence (Australia). 25 July 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  15. "International participation in Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2015". APDR. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  16. "Talisman Sabre 2015" (PDF). Department of Defence. Retrieved 22 June 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  17. Doran, Mark (30 July 2015). "Beach Assault". Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1356 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN   0729-5685 . Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  18. "Australia, United States begin their biggest joint military exercise". Reuters. 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  19. "Talisman Sabre 2017 officially opened in Sydney".
  20. 1 2 Dillon, Louis (8 July 2019). "Spy Games: All eyes on Australia as Exercise Talisman Sabre launches". www.defenceconnect.com.au. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  21. "Exercise Talisman Sabre formally launched on USS Ronald Reagan". Australian Aviation. 7 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  22. Greene, Andrew (12 July 2019). "Chinese spy ship staying just outside Australia's territorial waters ahead of Talisman Sabre war games". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  23. Greene, Andrew (14 July 2019). "Chinese spy ship reportedly arrives off Queensland coast to monitor war games with the United States". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  24. "Couriermail.com.au | Subscribe to The Courier Mail for exclusive stories". www.couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  25. "Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 begins - Australian Defence Magazine".
  26. Greene, Andrew (13 July 2021). "Chinese spy ship returns to waters off Queensland ahead of Defence's largest war-fighting exercise". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  27. Greene, Andrew (17 July 2021). "Second Chinese spy ship approaches Australia to monitor military exercises after being 'on our radar for some time'". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  28. Seidel, Jamie (19 July 2021). "Chinese spy ships off Australia is the 'new normal'". news.com.au . Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  29. Friends of the Earth produced a submission to the Maunsell Public Environment Report, which has been published online Archived 20 March 2007 at archive.today by Melbourne Indymedia, 13 November 2006. This submission details the environmental and social impact the war games will have.
  30. Isom Jr., PO2 Charles A. (June 2005). "Environment Gets Kid-Glove Handling During Talisman Saber '05". DefenseLINK News. Retrieved 27 November 2006.
  31. Combined Joint Information Bureau (7 June 2005). "Exercise Talisman Sabre 2005: Depleted Uranium" (Press release). Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 18 May 2006.
  32. "Exercise Talisman Saber 2009". Department of Defence. 2009. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.