Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25) Kicks off in Spectacular Fashion in CQ - HIMARS Launch in Shoalwater Bay - Aust & US Aircraft and Helicopters at Rockhampton Airport

Australia’s largest bilateral military exercise, Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25), officially commenced over the weekend following an opening ceremony on board the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Adelaide.   

Now in its 11th iteration, TS25 is the largest and most sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted in Australia.

Over the next three weeks, more than 35,000 military personnel from Australia and partnering nations will deploy across Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales and Christmas Island. For the first time, activities will also be conducted outside of Australia in Papua New Guinea.

In addition to the United States, forces from Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom will join as partners.

Malaysia and Vietnam will also attend as observers.

This year’s exercise will consist of live-fire exercises and field training activities, incorporating force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations.

And on Monday 14 July, Australian Army soldiers, joined by U.S. Army artillerymen, fired their High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) for the first time, marking a significant upgrade to Australia’s long-range strike capabilities.

The HIMARS launch was the highlight of Monday’s live-fire event at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), which also featured M777 howitzers from the U.S. Marine Corps and the Australian Army and South Korean tanks and self-propelled artillery.  F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters flew overhead during the event as AC/DC’s "Thunderstruck" played over loudspeakers.

Officers and other dignitaries and politicians were transported into Rockhampton Airport from Sydney (and Canberra) on board Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Airbus A330-203 / KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) A39-003 as "Dragon 01" and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-8 MAX BBJ A62-001 as "Envoy 36".

They were then transported to the Bay on board two Australian Army CH-47F Chinook helicopters as "Stockman".  

They returned to the Australian Army District Support Unit (DSU) compound nearby to Rockhampton Airport before heading back out to the Bay and then back late to Rockhampton Airport.

While also arriving into Rockhampton Airport and staying on deployment was three Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) British Aerospace (BAe) Hawk 127 jets as 'PUMA51' which arrived from RAAF Base Williamtown.

They were identified as A27-01, A27-08,  and A27-23

And possibly as part of the deployment of the Hawks, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Search and Rescue (CHC Helicopters Australia / Lloyd Helicopters) Agusta AW139 helicopter VH-SYZ as "Choppa 41" arrived into Rockhampton Airport yesterday and today completed a local flight.

Meanwhile, also on Monday 14 July, two formations of highly modified helicopters operated by the elite United States Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) passed through Rockhampton Airport, heading up to Townsville where multiple Special Operations helicopters will be deployed during the Exercise.

The first formation consisted of three Sikorsky MH-60M Blackhawks callsign "BOUNTY HUNTER 11" - which also passed through Mackay Airport - then following behind later this afternoon was a formation of two Boeing MH-47G Chinooks (19-02928 & 19-02929) callsign "THUNDER 21". 

They were also spotted arriving into Townsville.

A contingent of four new Australian Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters operated by 6 Aviation Regiment were spotted passing through Rockhampton Airport also heading to Mackay Airport and then Townsville.  A60-007 and A60-008 as "Justice" passed through first followed later by A60-002 and A60-011 as "Prophet".

Plus two The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters also passed through Rockhampton Airport also heading up to Townsville.  They were identified as 86000 and 86000 and arrived together as "Celtic" before departing separately as "Celtic" and "Cyclops".

All these helicopters join the two Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopters that arrived yesterday.

And United States Navy (USN) Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk (Knighthawk) helicopter 167854 / RB-11 was spotted visiting Rockhampton Airport once again as "Valkyrie 62".

Finally, also on Monday 14 July, some other movements in association with Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 included Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Alenia C-27J Spartan transport aircraft A34-001 as "Wallaby 45" which had flown up from RAAF Base Amberley with other aircraft for a parachute drop, landed at Rockhampton Airport following the drop and then returned to Amberley.

Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) CASA CN-235-200M '105' (Code 62-1G) as "COTAM1161" completed low-level operations in an area out to sea North of Mackay after flying up from RAAF Base Amberley.

Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Boeing P-8A Poseidon NZ4801 as 'EVRST73' was noted operating out of Townsville.

While Australian Army Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack (company name Integrator), unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) have been see on online flight tracking sites flying in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA).  They have been noted as A61-007 (7CFB0C) as HYDRA07 and today A61-003 (7CFB08) as SPYRO03 and A61-006 (7CFB0B ) as SPYRO06.

And the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft serial 54+14 as 'GAF61' was due to visit Rockhampton Airport from Townsville.

Finally, also on Monday 14 July, maybe not associated with the Exercise was Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing B737-7ES / E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft A30-004 as "Wedgetail 03" flew up from RAAF Base Williamtown to complete a missed approach at Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast) Airport and another at Emerald Airport before then returning to Williamtown.

 

Sincere thanks to the local plane spotters for their help in preparing this post!

Photo taken by Trevor Hardsman, Steve Vit and Glenn Lloyd  ©