Exercise Talisman Sabre

Talisman Sabre 25 Key features

Purpose: To test forces in planning and conducting combined (multinational) and joint (multi-service) operations, with the goal of improving combat readiness and interoperability between partner nations.
Participants: The 2025 exercise involved over 40,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom. Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam attended as observers. .
Scope: The 2025 exercise was the largest in its history, covering a broad area across Australia and, for the first time, including activities in Papua New Guinea.
Activities: Key activities in 2025 included a wide range of multi-domain warfighting scenarios, such as amphibious landings, airborne operations, live-fire drills with the HIMARS and SM-6 missile, and complex logistics and information operations.
Interoperability: A significant focus was placed on improving interoperability across different facets, including human, technical, and procedural. This included the integration of military and civilian health systems to improve patient and operational outcomes.
Global context: The exercise is seen as a way to strengthen alliances and partnerships in the face of increasing geopolitical tensions in the region.

Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 (TS23) marked its 10th and largest iteration to date. Ran from 22 July to 4 August 2023.

Key Points:

Participation Scale: TS23 witnessed the participation of over 35,000 military personnel, a significant increase from previous iterations. This number includes members from every branch of the U.S. military, highlighting its extensive multinational involvement.
Multinational Involvement: The exercise saw participation from 13 nations, underlining its importance as a multinational military event. The presence of various countries' military personnel accentuates the exercise's role in fostering international military cooperation.
Range of Activities: TS23 included diverse training exercises such as force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations. This broad spectrum of activities is designed to enhance various aspects of military capability.
Geographical Spread: The training during TS23 occurred across multiple regions in Australia. This wide geographical spread not only demonstrates the logistical capacity of the participating militaries but also allows for a variety of terrain and scenario-based training.
Bilateral Significance: As Australia's largest bilateral military exercise with the United States, TS23 holds significant strategic importance. The exercise underscores the strong military partnership between Australia and the U.S., while also facilitating collaboration with other participating nations.

Talisman Sabre 2023 thus represents a critical milestone in military preparedness and international defense cooperation, particularly for Australia and its key allies.