A army train bringing collectively greater than 35,000 personnel throughout 19 completely different nations, together with the UK, is underneath method in Australia – with Chinese language spy ships anticipated to observe.
The drill – the largest-ever struggle combating train to happen in Australia – formally began on Sunday with a ceremony in Sydney.
The biennial drill, often called Train Talisman Sabre, began in 2005 as a joint train between the US and Australia.
This yr, personnel 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 UK have joined.
The Ministry of Defence stated the UK Service Strike Group, together with HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond, can be coaching with forces from New Zealand, amongst others, forward of the train.
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The UK’s Service Strike Group participating in Train Talisman Sabre. Pic: X/@COMUKCSG
“F-35B jets and Merlin helicopters, part of a wider multinational force, are ready to defend and deepen ties across the Indo-Pacific under Operation Highmast,” stated a publish on the MoD’s X account.
This morning, the Service Strike Group (CSG) stated by itself X account: “Exercise #TalismanSabre25 begins! UK #CSG25 is excited to join with 18 partner nations and over 35,000 military personnel for the largest iteration of the exercise in its history.”
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An Australian Airforce F35 fighter jet participates in Train Talisman Sabre 2025. Pic: AP
The 19 international locations will participate within the train over three weeks, Australia’s defence division stated on Sunday, with China anticipated to observe actions.
The drills may even happen in neighbouring Papua New Guinea, making it the primary time Talisman Sabre actions have been held outdoors Australia.
Chinese language ships have monitored naval workouts off the Australian coast over the past 4 Talisman Sabre workouts and had been anticipated to hold out surveillance on the present train, Australian defence business minister Pat Conroy stated.
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Rockets are launched from a Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System throughout Talisman Sabre 2025. Pic: AP
“The Chinese military have observed these exercises since 2017. It’d be very unusual for them not to observe it,” Mr Conroy advised the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“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,” he added.
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Mr Conroy stated the Chinese language weren’t but shadowing ships as of Sunday.
The drill began a day after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese started a six-day go to to China, the place he’s anticipated to carry his fourth face-to-face assembly with Chinese language President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday.
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HIMARS rockets are fired by Australian, US and Singapore defence forces. Pic: Reuters
Mr Albanese stated Chinese language surveillance of Talisman Sabre wouldn’t be a problem raised with Mr Xi.
“That would be nothing unusual. That has happened in the past and I’ll continue to assert Australia’s national interest, as I do,” Mr Albanese stated in Shanghai on Monday.
