Ships converge for Talisman Sabre '19

Seventeen ships from the United States, Australia, Canadaand Japan sailed together in formation for a massive photo exercise July 10, tosignify the beginning of naval maneuvers as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre2019. A bilateral, biennial event, Talisman Sabre is designed to improve U.S.and Australian combat training, readiness and interoperability throughrealistic, relevant training necessary to maintain regional security, peace andstability.

This year’s Talisman Sabre is focused on defending therights, freedoms and uses of the sea, air, space and cyberspace guaranteed toall nations under international law and considered essential to prosperity,stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

"Interoperability and working alongside allies andpartners really is the future, particularly in the Pacific. It's just tooimportant, too large a region, for us not to reach out and work together withour great allies and partners in the region,” said Rear Admiral Fred Kacher, commander,Expeditionary Strike Group 7. “Australia in particular, in a very importantpart of the world, has been a steadfast and longstanding ally who has foughtand served alongside us for over a century. So for us, having the chance tointegrate with them in a high-end exercise like Talisman Sabre is a tremendousopportunity."

U.S. naval participation included units from the RonaldReagan Carrier Strike Group and Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group. The RoyalAustralian Navy participated with the Canberra-class landing helicopter dock(LHD) lead ship HMAS Canberra (LO2) and Canberra-class landing helicopter dock(LHD) HMAS Adelaide (LO1). Japan also participated in the photo exercise withJapan Maritime Self-Defense Force sumi-class amphibious transport dock ship JSKunisaki (LST 4003) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Hyga-class helicopterdestroyer JS Ise (DDH 182), while Canada represented with their Royal CanadianNavy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Regina (FFH 334) and auxiliary oilerreplenishment MV Asterix (T-AKE-14).

"Talisman Sabre ‘19 is a tremendous opportunity for theRonald Reagan Carrier Strike Group to train in a joint and combinedenvironment, improve our sailors' proficiency and sharpen our warfightingskills," said Rear Admiral Karl Thomas, commander, Task Force 70. "Asa forward deployed force, we routinely train and operate alongside our allies,partners and friends, but complex exercises like this ensure we can operateseamlessly as one lethal and cohesive team throughout this importantIndo-Pacific region."

The bilateral exercise provides an opportunity to fullyintegrate all domains of warfare, to include air, land, maritime, space, andinformation, and enhance Australian and U.S. interoperability in combined andjoint warfare at the tactical level by conducting a single field trainingexercise, focused on amphibious operations.

Reagan (CVN 76), Carrier Air Wing Five, Destroyer Squadron 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and the Arleigh Burke Class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), and Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group, consisting of Amphibious Squadron 11, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85), and Legend-class cutter USCGC Stratton (WMSL 752), are participating in Talisman Sabre 2019 off the coast of Northern Australia.

Source: US Navy