Exercise Talisman Sabre in full swing on land, sea and in the air in northern Australia
Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec has launched a Harpoon missile as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.
The exercise, the 11th and largest Talisman Sabre ever conducted, is in full swing at sea, on land and in the skies over northern Australia.
More than 3,000 personnel from the UK are taking part out of a total of 40,000 from 19 different countries.
Being less than 1,000 miles south of the Equator, the climate in northern Australia is tropical savanna, characterised by high temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons.
July is winter and not the rainy season, so it is ideal timing for the exercise.
The Carrier Strike Group 25 is on Operation Highmast, and this is one of the key phases of the deployment.
The Australians began the exercise on land with a multiple HIMARS firing involving US, Australian and South Korean missile launchers.
The US also used their Typhoon ground-based missile system for the first time outside the Americas to launch an SM-6 missile against a maritime target.
This system is primarily designed as a high-altitude air defence weapon, but was re-purposed to strike a surface target, which is something widely seen in the Ukraine war.
Also during Talisman Sabre, Japan, Australia, the US, and the UK have tested underwater seabed warfare capabilities with a remotely controlled large uncrewed underwater vehicle.
As part of the Aukus Maritime Big Play series, they tested the ability to communicate with a Spearfish autonomous system.
Drones are increasingly important in underwater warfare, but communicating with them securely is critical to their successful deployment.
Meanwhile, on the surface, the Carrier Strike Group F-35s have been working in the Timor Sea north of Australia.
HMS Prince of Wales met up with the American aircraft carrier USS George Washington.
This ship operates both FA-18 and F-35 fighter aircraft. The US has 11 of these carriers, and each one has more than 60 aircraft and helicopters.
The carriers joined for a PhotEx with Canadian frigate HCMS Ville de Quebec and Norwegian frigate HNoMS Roald Amundsen.
The Canadian frigate loaded Harpoon anti-ship missiles in Darwin earlier in the month. After the PhotEx, VDQ carried out the firing with this missile, whose warhead weighs nearly 500 lbs.
The Royal Navy has largely moved from this capable system to the Naval Strike Missile, which is carried by HMS Richmond.
On land, the UK has deployed Royal Marines, Ranger Regiment and Gurkhas.
The Marines from 42 Commando took part in urban training and live firing using their new MCX rifles and Glock 17 pistols.
The Royal Navy ships on CSG25 all carry teams from this maritime operations unit.
The Gurkhas on exercise in northern Queensland entertained allies with a Kukri knife display.
Exercise Talisman Sabre continues until early August.
For more reports about Carrier Strike Group 25, click here.
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