Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25) was the largest and most complex iteration of the Australia–U.S. bilateral military exercise, involving over 35,000 personnel from 19 nations. Held from 13 July to 4 August 2025, it expanded geographically across multiple Australian states and, for the first time, included offshore activities in Papua New Guinea, marking a strengthened defence partnership during PNG's 50th independence anniversary.
TS25 focused on multi-domain warfighting—land, air, sea, space, and cyber—with key activities including amphibious landings, firepower demonstrations, and joint force manoeuvres. Notably, the UK’s Carrier Strike Group 25 and the USS George Washington participated, along with forces from all branches of the U.S. military and over 100 Royal Air Force personnel.
The exercise enhanced interoperability, readiness, and deterrence among allies, reinforcing regional security and the U.S.–Australia alliance. It also included a community engagement day in Townsville and was carefully planned to minimise environmental and community impact.
Australia has deployed its first MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, with four now in operation and more potentially to come. The AU$6.9 billion program, developed in partnership with the U.S. Navy, has aircraft based at RAAF Base Tindal and operated by No. 9 Squadron in South Australia.
The Triton is a high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft designed for wide-area maritime surveillance, capable of covering up to 40,000 km² daily and flying for over 24 hours. It complements the P-8A Poseidon in a broader surveillance system, focusing on persistent ISR.
