Global Forces Convene for Talisman Sabre 2025
Massive Military Exercise Tests Interoperability Across Indo-Pacific
Australia is currently hosting the eleventh iteration of Exercise Talisman Sabre, a vast multinational military training event involving 19 nations and over 40,000 troops. The exercise, running from July 13-27, focuses on enhancing joint operational capabilities and projecting a strong deterrence posture.
Expanding Alliance and New Capabilities on Display
This year’s Talisman Sabre welcomes back traditional partners including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. Notably, India, Singapore, Thailand, the Netherlands, and Norway are participating for the first time. Malaysia and Vietnam are attending as observers, signaling potential future involvement.
The exercise spans an impressive 5,300 kilometers, utilizing over 80 Australian training areas and bases, and features more than 150 aircraft and 30 ships. The scale is designed to mirror the operational environment of the Indo-Pacific region.
“Australia is vast, but nowhere near as vast as the region that we live in day to day. So, operating across the vast expanses of Australia is a way of us testing how we might operate in the region in times of need. The geography, the time, the space, the limited infrastructure, really tests nations…”
—Brigadier Damian Hill, Talisman Sabre Exercise Director
Talisman Sabre Spotlights Cutting-Edge Military Technology
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 is marked by numerous “firsts,” including Australia’s inaugural live firing of its new HIMARS system. This event saw the system deployed alongside HIMARS units from Singapore and the United States. Additionally, Australia’s NASAMS air defense system is being tested in conjunction with an American Patriot system.
A significant development is the first firing of the US Army’s Typhon system, also known as Mid-Range Capability (MRC), outside the continental United States. Operated by the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), the Typhon successfully launched an SM-6 missile from Australia’s Northern Territory, targeting waters north of the continent.
The deployment of the Typhon, which can fire both SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles, underscores the US Army’s enhanced mobility and its ability to establish missile coverage in remote areas. This capability is particularly relevant in countering potential challenges within strategic maritime chokepoints like the First Island Chain. The US Army currently maintains another Typhon system in the Philippines.
Synthetic Training Enhances Global Reach
In a leap forward for joint training, Australia and the United States have integrated their live, virtual, and constructive (LVC) simulation environments. This allows for the distribution of operational pictures across both nations, facilitating complex command and control scenarios, even across the International Date Line.
This synthetic training environment is proving invaluable for air forces as well. Brigadier Damian Hill noted that “The training benefit that has provided using a synthetic opposing force is enormous, because it means we don’t have to have lots of airframes in the air.”
Amphibious Operations and Interoperability Goals
Amphibious forces from Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the US Marine Corps are conducting multiple landings as a critical component of the exercise. Troops are operating at the divisional-plus level within a broader corps structure.
The overarching goal of Talisman Sabre, according to Hill, is “improving interoperability.” This enhanced familiarity not only streamlines responses to natural disasters but also serves as a potent deterrent signal.
This focus on interoperability is crucial for regional stability. For instance, the United States Indo-Pacific Command’s recent emphasis on distributed maritime operations aligns with the training objectives of exercises like Talisman Sabre, aiming to project power and maintain freedom of navigation across the vast Pacific.