BRISBANE, Australia -- BRISBANE, Australia - U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to 3rd Marine Division, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Marine Rotational Force Darwin completed the eighth iteration of Talisman Sabre, a three week exercise off the coast of Queensland, Australia from 7 to 27 July, 2019.
During the exercise, the Marines and sailors conducted a variety of training events alongside Australian and Japanese service members to include: an integrated air campaign, combined forcible entry operations, amphibious raids, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Rapid Insertion (HIRAIN).
"Talisman Sabre 19 was an excellent exercise that allowed us to work with, display, and refine our skills working with the Australian Amphibious Task Group and the Japan Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade as a multi-national amphibious force," said Col. John Medeiros, assistant chief of staff for operations, 3d Marine Division. "It offered us the ability to demonstrate interoperability between three allied nations into a combined landing force while improving and enhancing our operational capabilities."
This exercise illustrated the strength of the U.S. and Australian alliance, and highlighted partnered nation capabilities in support of a maritime campaign. This year's addition of Japan's ARDB, sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, contributed toward achieving the exercise objectives and increased multi-national interoperability.