Powerful HMS Prince of Wales leaves Singapore for "largest-ever" Australia exercise - what will take place

HMS Prince of Wales, leading the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG), is heading towards Australia for Exercise Talisman Sabre. The 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier left Singapore yesterday (June 30) on the next stage of her mission.

Operation Highmast is an eight-month global deployment to the Indo-Pacific region consisting of various diplomatic port visits and military drills. Consisting of thousands of military personnel from the Royal Navy and RAF - alongside troops from Canada, Spain and Norway - the military formation was assembled to test fighter jets and warships at full operational capability alongside UK allies.

Forces News described this year’s Exercise Talisman Sabre, a multinational endeavour organised by Australia, as the “largest-ever”. Here is what will take place.

Multiple nations joining forces

According to the Australian government, this year’s exercise will be the 11th and its “largest iteration”. “It will consist of a live fire exercise, and field training exercises incorporating force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations,” they added.

“TS25 will utilise a number of locations, including both Defence and non-Defence training areas. These locations provide a realistic test of how a large military force should function in a broad area of operations. TS25 will leverage locations and ranges for all domains of military operations: air, land, maritime, space, and cyberspace.”

When does it start and what will take place?

The exercise starts on July 13 and lasts until August 4. Over 30,000 military personnel are set to participate. Nations participating include 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. Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam will be observers.

Key activities include amphibious and airborne lodgements, firepower demonstrations, and combat across land, air, sea, space and cyber domains. These are scheduled to take place across Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, New South Wales and on Christmas Island.

Australia’s Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, said: “Talisman Sabre demonstrates our enduring Alliance with the United States, through deepening cooperation in training and force integration. It is a key opportunity to work with our partners from across the region and around the globe, demonstrating our combined capability to achieve large-scale operational outcomes together.”

Talisman Sabre Exercise Director, Brigadier Damian Hill, added: “This year’s exercise will demonstrate our ability to receive large volumes of personnel and equipment into Australia from across the Indo-Pacific, to stage, integrate and move them forward into the large exercise area. Considerable planning has gone into a safe and productive exercise for all participants.

“Talisman Sabre 2025 will be held across a range of Defence and non-Defence training areas throughout northern Australia. I thank the traditional owners, landowners, state authorities, and key community stakeholders who have helped us develop a safe and productive exercise for all participating nations.”