Australia has kicked off its largest-ever iteration of Exercise Talisman Sabre, a massive war-fighting drill that underscores the growing defense collaboration between Australia and the United States.
The biennial exercise, which first began in 2005, has expanded dramatically in scope and scale and now includes military participation from 19 nations, drawing the close attention of Chinese surveillance ships.
The live-fire portion of the exercise began Monday at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, a vast 1,700-square-mile expanse in Queensland’s rugged Outback.
One of the most notable displays involved Australia’s use of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), which was recently acquired from the United States.
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“Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day,” said Brigadier Nick Wilson, highlighting the significance of the event for Australia’s growing military capabilities.
This year's Talisman Sabre exercise brings together over 35,000 troops from across the globe, including participants from Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom.
Malaysia and Vietnam are also in attendance as observers.
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In a notable first, parts of the exercise will also be conducted in Papua New Guinea, Australia’s closest neighbor.
This marks the first time that Talisman Sabre has extended beyond Australian territory, reinforcing regional partnerships and the evolving strategic landscape in the Indo-Pacific.
As with previous years, the presence of Chinese surveillance vessels is expected. Chinese spy ships have observed the last four Talisman Sabre exercises, and Australian officials anticipate similar behavior this time.
“The Chinese military have observed these exercises since 2017. It’d be very unusual for them not to observe it,” said Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy.
“We’ll adjust accordingly. We’ll obviously observe their activities and monitor their presence around Australia, but we’ll also adjust how we conduct those exercises.”
As of Sunday, Conroy noted that no Chinese ships had begun shadowing the participating fleets, but preparations remain in place should that change.
The 2025 exercise officially launched on Sunday with a ceremony in Sydney, attended by Lt. Gen. J.B. Vowell, Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific, and Vice Admiral Justin Jones, Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations.
The timing of the military showcase also carries diplomatic significance, coinciding with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s six-day visit to China.
Albanese, who is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, made clear that any surveillance activity by China during the exercise would not be raised as a diplomatic concern.
“That would be nothing unusual. That has happened in the past and I’ll continue to assert Australia’s national interest, as I do,” Albanese said in Shanghai on Monday.
The Prime Minister also reflected on the broader context of Australia’s international relations.
“I look forward to a constructive engagement with President Trump. We have had three constructive phone conversations,” Albanese said, addressing criticism for not yet securing a face-to-face meeting with the former U.S. president.
While Albanese has visited the U.S. five times in his role as Prime Minister, he has only visited China twice, a detail that has not gone unnoticed in Australian political circles.
Exercise Talisman Sabre serves as a critical platform for Australia to deepen military cooperation with key allies, increase interoperability, and showcase its growing defense capabilities.
With participation spanning the Indo-Pacific and beyond, the exercise highlights a collective commitment to regional stability, deterrence, and preparedness in a time of increasing geopolitical tension.
As global eyes watch the drills unfold—some from warships off the coast—the message is clear: Australia and its allies are strengthening ties and honing their readiness for a rapidly changing strategic environment.
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