Exercise Talisman Sabre

File:Australian Army M1A1 Abrams tank during exercise Hamel 15.jpg tank during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015]]

File:Talisman Saber speech (48426053601).webm

File:Australian NH-90 part of Battle Group Ram conduct air mobile operations.jpg in July 2023 on exercises for Talisman Sabre '23]]

Talisman Sabre 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.{{cite web|author=Photographer's Mate 2nd Class (AW) D. Arthur Jones and Photographer's Mate 3rd Class James Bartels, USS Boxer Public Affairs |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=19019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415160810/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=19019 |title=Boxer Completes Talisman Saber 2005 |publisher=Navy.mil |date=2 June 2005|access-date=19 February 2013|archivedate=15 April 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/talisman_sabre/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050713122123/http://www.defence.gov.au/talisman_sabre/|title=Talisman Sabre|publisher=Department of Defence|date=2005|archivedate=13 July 2005}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/exercises/ts07/default.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070606073913/http://www.defence.gov.au/exercises/ts07/default.htm|title=Exercise Talisman Sabre|publisher=Department of Defence|date=2007|archivedate=6 June 2007}}{{cite web|author=John Pike |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2007/07/mil-070709-nns05.htm |title=Australian-U.S. Expeditionary Forces Complete Talisman Saber 2007 |publisher=Globalsecurity.org |access-date=2013-02-19}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aircav.com/cobra/ahgal24/news-TSO7-070726.html |title=U.S. Joint Forces Command supports Exercise Talisman Saber 2007 |publisher=Aircav.com |access-date=2013-02-19}}

Talisman Sabre 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.{{cite web|author=USS George Washington Public Affairs |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=46982 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805063811/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=46982 |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 August 2012 |title=George Washington Carrier Strike Group Begins Talisman Saber |publisher=Navy.mil |access-date=2013-02-19}}

Talisman Sabre 2011 was conducted in July 2011 and was led by Australian forces.{{cite web|url=http://www.talismansabre2011.com.au/about.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717001438/http://www.talismansabre2011.com.au/about.html|title=About the Exercise|work=Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011|publisher=Department of Defence|archivedate=17 July 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.talismansabre2011.com.au/locations.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714065752/http://www.talismansabre2011.com.au/locations.html|work=Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011: Public Environment Report|title=Locations|publisher=Department of Defence|archivedate=14 July 2011}} 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."{{cite web|url=http://www.talismansabre2011.com.au/files/ExTS11.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706112518/http://www.talismansabre2011.com.au/files/ExTS11.pdf|date=2011|work=Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011: Public Environment Report|title=Factsheet1/5|publisher=Department of Defence|access-date=15 July 2015|archivedate=6 July 2011}}

Talisman Sabre 2013 saw MV-22s deployed to Australia for the first time.[http://www.stripes.com/news/20-000-us-troops-descend-on-australia-for-training-1.230775 "20,000 US troops descend on Australia for training."] 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 {{ship|Spanish oiler|Cantabria|A15|6}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/opex/exercises/ts13/ |title=Talisman Saber 2013|publisher=Department of Defence Australia |access-date=2013-08-16}}{{cite web |title= Exercise Talisman Saber fleet prepares for battle | url= http://www.defence.gov.au/defencenews/stories/2013/jul/0725a.htm | publisher= Department of Defence (Australia) | date= 25 July 2013 | access-date=2013-10-14}}

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.{{cite web |url =http://www.asiapacificdefencereporter.com/articles/613/International-participation-in-Exercise-TALISMAN-SABRE-2015|title =International participation in Exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2015|publisher =APDR|access-date =22 June 2015}}

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).{{cite web|url =http://www.aecom.com/deployedfiles/Internet/Geographies/Australia-New%20Zealand/Publications/Talisman%20Sabre/About%20the%20exercise.pdf|title =Talisman Sabre 2015|publisher =Department of Defence|access-date =22 June 2015}}{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} A large-scale amphibious landing was also conducted at Fog Bay in the Northern Territory.{{cite news|last=Doran|first=Mark|url=http://armynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=124261#folio=18|title=Beach Assault|edition=1356|newspaper=Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper|date=30 July 2015|publisher=Department of Defence|location=Canberra|issn=0729-5685|access-date=28 July 2015}}

Talisman Sabre 2017 began in June 2017 and involved more than 33,000 Australian and US troops. Alongside the {{USS|Bonhomme Richard|LHD-6|6}}, 20 other ships and over 200 aircraft took part in what was the countries' largest exercise to date.{{cite news|title=Australia, United States begin their biggest joint military exercise|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-usa-military-idUSKBN19K0ID|access-date=29 June 2017|work=Reuters|date=2017}} Personnel from New Zealand, Japan, and Canada were embedded within Australian and United States units.{{cite web |url =http://www.contactairlandandsea.com/2017/06/29/talisman-sabre-2017-opened/|title =Talisman Sabre 2017 officially opened in Sydney}} Additionally, the Chinese Navy deployed a Type 815G Dongdiao-class electronic surveillance ship to monitor the exercise.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/key-enablers/4371-talisman-sabre-launches|title=Spy Games: All eyes on Australia as Exercise Talisman Sabre launches|last=Dillon|first=Louis|date=2019-07-08|website=www.defenceconnect.com.au|language=en|access-date=2019-07-17}}

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 {{sclass |Canberra|landing helicopter dock|0}} LHDs, {{HMAS|Canberra|L02|6}} and {{HMAS|Adelaide|L01|6}}, had operated together.{{Cite web|url=https://australianaviation.com.au/2019/07/exercise-talisman-sabre-formally-launched-on-uss-ronald-reagan/|title=Exercise Talisman Sabre formally launched on USS Ronald Reagan|date=2019-07-07|website=Australian Aviation|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-07-17}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Chinese spy ship staying just outside Australia's territorial waters ahead of Talisman Sabre war games |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-12/chinese-spy-ship-arrives-near-talisman-sabre-war-games/11302694 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=12 July 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Chinese spy ship reportedly arrives off Queensland coast to monitor war games with the United States |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-14/chinese-war-ship-war-games-queensland-first-pictures/11308072 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=14 July 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=CMWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.couriermail.com.au%2Fnews%2Fqueensland%2Fuss-wasp-inside-powerful-stealth-fighter-ship-taking-part-in-jointmilitary-training-exercise%2Fnews-story%2F94174ea68b380c913a4a3976df2ea65c%26memtype%3Danonymous%26mode%3Dpremium&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=c368c1a09d660361b8e57de3fec449ca-1563359765|title=Couriermail.com.au {{!}} Subscribe to The Courier Mail for exclusive stories|website=www.couriermail.com.au|access-date=2019-07-17}}

Talisman Sabre 2021 was conducted starting from July 14th, to the 31st, 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/exercise-talisman-sabre-2021-begins|title = Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021 begins - Australian Defence Magazine}} 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).{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Chinese spy ship returns to waters off Queensland ahead of Defence's largest war-fighting exercise |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/chinese-spy-ship-returns-to-australian-waters/100289192 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=13 July 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Second Chinese spy ship approaches Australia to monitor military exercises after being 'on our radar for some time' |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-18/second-chinese-spy-ship-australia-monitor-military-exercises/100302198 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=17 July 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Seidel |first1=Jamie |title=Chinese spy ships off Australia is the 'new normal' |url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/talisman-sabre-chinese-spy-ships-off-australia-is-the-new-normal/news-story/c8c8c69e4f78dedfb2735da06dbb5d54 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=news.com.au |date=19 July 2021}}

Talisman Sabre 2023, the 10th iteration of the exercise, began on 22 July 2023 and ran until 4 August 2023. More than 30,000 personnel from 13 nations took part, including from Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany. The Philippines, Singapore and Thailand also attended as observers.{{Cite web |title=Australian Defence Force |url=https://www.defence.gov.au/exercises/talisman-sabre |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=Exercise Talisman Sabre}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-16 |title=Largest ever Exercise Talisman Sabre to be held in Australia |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-04-16/largest-ever-exercise-talisman-sabre-be-held-australia |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=Australian Defence Force}} Two Chinese Navy spy ships observed the exercise from coastal regions of the Northern Territory and Queensland.{{Cite news |date=2023-07-21 |title=Allies launch military drills in Australia as Chinese spy ship watches |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/allies-launch-military-drills-in-australia-as-chinese-spy-ship-watches/articleshow/102008441.cms |access-date=2023-07-21 |issn=0013-0389}}{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Two Chinese 'spy' ships to monitor Australia's Talisman Sabre military exercises |url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/two-chinese-spy-ships-to-monitor-australias-talisman-sabre-military-exercises-12894982.html |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=Firstpost |language=en}} In the leadup to the exercise a truck carrying an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank crashed on the Bruce Highway in Queensland. On the night of July 28-29 an ADF MHR-90 helicopter crashed into the ocean of the coast of the Whitsundays, with four ADF personnel onboard.

Talisman Sabre 2025, UK Carrier Strike Group 25 will be participating, consisting of HMS Prince of Wales (United Kingdom), a Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate (Norway) and the logistics vessel {{HNoMS|Maud}} (Norway){{cite news |title=Norsk fregatt skal seile med britisk hangarskipgruppe i Indo-Stillehavet |url=https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/besok-uk/id3049024/ |access-date=8 August 2024 |agency=Reggeringen.no |date=6 August 2024 |language=Norwegian}} They will be joined by the Australian destroyers HMAS Sydney and HMAS Brisbane.{{cite news |last1=Giannini |first1=Dominic |title=Australian destroyers to join UK show of force |url=https://citynews.com.au/2024/australian-destroyers-to-join-uk-show-of-force/ |access-date=13 March 2025 |agency=Canberra City News |date=17 December 2024}}. Norway will also be participating with 7 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter planes and 1 Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/norge-sender-militaere-fly-til-australia/83199164?fbclid=IwY2xjawK1UchleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBnblVLMUYycUN0QURnUkRjAR5kSjA53o4GooYKzGVBjLR48eNAAaZDBE6FJrwfVxq9fHMgkBZCgB9_FL7ytw_aem_spALuGVQJb4izB_3IsrU9Q

File:Ts07protest.JPG

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.Friends of the Earth produced a submission to the Maunsell Public Environment Report, which has been [http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/11/130178.php published online] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070320171824/http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/11/130178.php |date=20 March 2007 }} by Melbourne Indymedia, 13 November 2006. This submission details the environmental and social impact the war games will have. 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.{{cite web|first=PO2 Charles A.|last=Isom Jr.|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2005/06/mil-050624-afps02.htm|title=Environment Gets Kid-Glove Handling During Talisman Saber '05|work=DefenseLINK News|date=June 2005|access-date=27 November 2006}}

File:US Marines Talisman Saber 07.jpg 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.

There have been concerns that depleted uranium munitions, which have been linked to increased incidence of cancer, albeit with little evidence,{{cite journal |first=Melissa A. |last=McDiarmid |title=Depleted uranium and public health: Fifty years' study of occupational exposure provides little evidence of cancer |journal=The BMJ |issn=0959-8138 |date=20 January 2001 |volume=322 |pp=123–124 |doi=10.1136/bmj.322.7279.123 |pmc=1119402 }} have been used at the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area during Exercise Talisman Sabre. 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".{{cite press release|author=Combined Joint Information Bureau|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/AlertTpl.cfm?CurrentId=4909|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060518122556/http://www.defence.gov.au/media/AlertTpl.cfm?CurrentId=4909|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 May 2006|title=Exercise Talisman Sabre 2005: Depleted Uranium|publisher=Department of Defence|date=7 June 2005}} This commitment was reiterated prior to Talisman Sabre 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.gov.au/opex/exercises/ts09/faqs.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130208192752/http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/exercises/ts09/faqs.htm|title=Exercise Talisman Saber 2009|publisher=Department of Defence |date=2009 |access-date=19 February 2013|archivedate=8 February 2013 }}

• Exercise Kangaroo
• Vostok 2010
• Vostok 2018
• Orient Shield exercise

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Exercise Talisman Sabre}}

• [http://www.cpf.navy.mil/talisman-sabre/ Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011, United States Department of Defense] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711191937/http://www.cpf.navy.mil/talisman-sabre/ |date=11 July 2011 }}
• [http://www.defence.gov.au/opex/exercises/ts11/ Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011, Australian Department of Defence]
• [https://www.theguardian.com/usa/story/0,,2113259,00.html/ Environment and US policy top global fears]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070629201028/http://www.c7f.navy.mil/TS07/forces.htm Forces involved in TS 07]

{{Australia–United States relations}}

Category:Australian military exercises

Category:Military exercises involving France

Category:Military exercises involving the United States

Category:Australia–United States military relations