SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and the United States began their biggest ever joint military exercises on Thursday, a show of force, largely at sea, aimed at sending a message both to allies and potential foes, including China.

The USS Bonhomme Richard amphibious assault ship manoeuvres into port in front of the Sydney Opera House in Australia, June 29, 2017 after a ceremony on board the ship marking the start of Talisman Saber 2017, a biennial joint military exercise between the United States and Australia. REUTERS/David Gray

The exercises involving 33,000 U.S. and Australian troops on board battleships equipped with strike jets, comes as tension over China’s more assertive activity, particularly in the disputed South China Sea, has raised fears of confrontation.

Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, asked how he thought China would view the exercises, said the size of the deployment was intended as a signal.

“I’m pleased about that message it sends our friends, allies, partners and potential adversaries,” Harris told reporters on board the USS Bonhomme Richard.

Relations between the United States and China have soured in recent months as the United States seeks to counter what it perceives as Chinese assertiveness in the Pacific, encapsulated by Beijing’s artificial island building in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims on the waterway.

The United States estimates China has added more than 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven reefs and tiny isles in the South China Sea over the past three years, installing runways, ports, aircraft hangars and communications equipment.

James Curran, professor of politics and foreign policy at the University of Sydney, said the exercise illustrated the close military ties between the United States and Australia but could raise worry in China about being surrounded.

“When there are concerns about China’s activities in the South China Sea, this military exercise will send a signal and take on greater significance,” Curran said.

“China will be concerned if it looks like containment, when you have Australia, the United States and others trying to gang-up on China.”

The exercise will go on for a month in Australian territorial waters and will include training in land and air operations.</s>WASHINGTON - Talisman Saber is a realistic and challenging exercise that provides opportunities for the United States and Australia to innovatively prepare for regional and global security challenges, Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., commander of U.S. Pacific Command, said today.

 

 Speaking at the opening ceremony aboard the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at sea off the coast of eastern Australia, the admiral said Pacom is partnering in the biennial exercise with Australian allies for high-end warfighting scenarios for the seventh time. About 33,000 American and Australian service members are taking part.

 

 “Exercises like Talisman Saber are precisely where we really learn how to take advantage of cutting-edge technology to outpace our adversaries,” Harris said. “It’s also a perfect place for our forces to operationalize a very important concept.”

 

 The PACOM commander said he has challenged the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to execute multi-domain battle, “to find new ways to enable our joint and multinational combined forces to be faster, more precise, more cost-effective, and most importantly, more lethal.

 

 ‘ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES’

 

 “When I look at the Bonhomme Richard, I see endless possibilities for the future,” Harris said. “After all, you could say that amphibious ships are the original multi-domain battle platforms operating from the air, from the sea and from the land. So I need this blue-green team to lead the way during this exercise.”

 

 Exercise Talisman Saber 2017 is the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group’s final certification, and it will also support efforts to operationalize the “up-gunned expeditionary strike group” concept, he said.

 

 The month-long exercise will bring together the capabilities of an amphibious-ready group and a Marine expeditionary unit with F-35B Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft, naval cruiser-destroyers and other enablers for the amphibious force to operate with more distributed lethality in a high-threat environment, Harris said. Such a force presents greater challenges to potential adversaries and more options to joint and combined component commanders, he added.

 

 “I recognize this will be challenging, but as a combatant commander, I need you to create effects from any single domain to targets in every domain in order to fight tonight and win,” the admiral told exercise participants.

 

 “If we have to fight tonight, I don't want it to be a fair fight,” Harris said. “If it’s a knife fight, I want to bring a gun. If it’s a gunfight, I want to bring in the MEU and the artillery of our friends, partners and allies … especially, like Australia.”

 

 U.S.-AUSTRALIA ALLIANCE

 

 Asking service members to remember the importance of the U.S.-Australia alliance, the admiral reminded them the alliance was forged in battle a century ago.

 

 “We fought and died together in World Wars I and II. We fought communism in the hot wars in Korea and Vietnam and the Cold War throughout the latter half of the 20th century,” he said. “We fought together in the Gulf War. For the last decade-plus, we’ve fought side-by-side in the long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. And today, Australia is a global leader in the fight against [the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria].”

 

 The bond between the two nations is as important to their futures as it has been to their storied pasts, Harris said. “This alliance has strengthened peace and prosperity not only in the Indo-Asia-Pacific, but across the globe,” he added.

 

 Train hard, safely and jointly, with a willingness to learn from each other, Harris told exercise participants.

 

 “Strive to become a more interoperable, high-end fighting force,” he said. “Learn from your mistakes and take our training to the next level. Forge relationships that you can call on during crises, because we’re in this together.”

 

 Harris added, “The Australia-U.S. alliance matters more today than ever before. It matters to our two great nations. It matters to the Indo-Asia-Pacific. And, it matters to world. No one should doubt the staying power of this alliance to maintain security, prosperity and peace in this vital region.”</s>
• None The United States and Australia will participate in the biggest ever biennial joint military exercise Talisman Saber 2017 - a spectacular show of force - mainly at sea - aimed at sending message to associates and possible enemies that includes China too. More than 33,000 US and Australian troops will take part in the military exercise. Here are 10 pictures which displays a spectacular show of force. (Reuters)
• None The military exercises of US and Australian troops on board battleships equipped with strike jets, comes as tension over China's more assertive activity, especially in the disputed South China Sea, has raised fears of confrontation. (Reuters)
• None Talisman Saber 2017 bestows a key opportunity to conduct operations in a joint and inter-agency domain that will increase both countries' potential to plan and execute contingency responses. (AP Photo)
• None The US and Australia work together in a range of exercises and missions throughout the year. This will include working together on humanitarian and civic assistance missions in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (Reuters)
• None James Curran, professor of politics and foreign policy at the University of Sydney, said the exercise illustrated the close military ties between the United States and Australia but could raise worry in China about being surrounded. (AP Photo)
• None Curran also added "China will be concerned if it looks like containment, when you have Australia, the United States and others trying to gang-up on China." (AP Photo)
• None Relations between the United States and China have soured in recent months as the United States seeks to counter what it perceives as Chinese assertiveness in the Pacific, encapsulated by Beijing's artificial island building in the South China Sea. (AP Photo)
• None The United States estimates China has added more than 3,200 acres of land on seven reefs and tiny isles in the South China Sea over the past three years. (Reuters)
• None This joint military exercise illustrates the closeness of the Australian and US alliance and the strength of the military-to-military relationship. (AP Photo)
• None The military exercise will go on for a month in Australian territorial waters and will include training in land and air operations. (AP Photo)</s>According to a Navy statement, more than 33,000 service members from the US and Australia will participate in "high-end warfighting scenarios” designed to “innovatively prepare for regional and global security challenges."

The statement adds that Talisman Saber, jointly sponsored by the US Pacific Command and the Australian Defence Force Headquarters Joint Operations Command, will be mostly sea and land based. It will take place in and around Australia and include “live and virtual training exercises” and amphibious landings.

More than 200 aircraft will be participating, including advanced F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters and tilt-rotor Ospreys, along with 21 ships including the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group and the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier.

"Exercises like Talisman Saber are precisely where we really learn how to take advantage of cutting-edge technology to outpace our adversaries," Adm. Harry Harris, head of US Pacific Command, said in a US Navy statement saying.

During the exercise’s opening ceremony, Harris said he challenged all branches of the US armed forces to "find new ways to enable our joint and multinational combined forces to be faster, more precise, more cost-effective and most importantly, more lethal."

Speaking of Talisman Saber’s symbolic value, Harris told reporters, "I’m pleased about that message it sends to our friends, allies, partners and potential adversaries … I think this demonstrates the importance of alliances in general and the value of this alliance in particular."

On Wednesday, the commander made his third trip to Australia in roughly half a year, telling an audience at Brisbane’s Australian Strategic Policy Institute that Washington takes its relationship with Australia seriously, and that the alliance between the two countries could help stop the spread of jihadist extremist groups. Australia is a global leader in the fight against Daesh, he pointed out.</s>related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

2 related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

Australia and the United States began their biggest ever joint military exercises on Thursday, a show of force, largely at sea, aimed at sending a message both to allies and potential foes, including China.

SYDNEY: Australia and the United States began their biggest ever joint military exercises on Thursday, a show of force, largely at sea, aimed at sending a message both to allies and potential foes, including China.

The exercises involving 33,000 U.S. and Australian troops on board battleships equipped with strike jets, comes as tension over China's more assertive activity, particularly in the disputed South China Sea, has raised fears of confrontation.

Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, asked how he thought China would view the exercises, said the size of the deployment was intended as a signal.

"I'm pleased about that message it sends our friends, allies, partners and potential adversaries," Harris told reporters on board the USS Bonhomme Richard.

Relations between the United States and China have soured in recent months as the United States seeks to counter what it perceives as Chinese assertiveness in the Pacific, encapsulated by Beijing's artificial island building in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which about US$5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims on the waterway.

The United States estimates China has added more than 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven reefs and tiny isles in the South China Sea over the past three years, installing runways, ports, aircraft hangars and communications equipment.

James Curran, professor of politics and foreign policy at the University of Sydney, said the exercise illustrated the close military ties between the United States and Australia but could raise worry in China about being surrounded.

"When there are concerns about China's activities in the South China Sea, this military exercise will send a signal and take on greater significance," Curran said.

"China will be concerned if it looks like containment, when you have Australia, the United States and others trying to gang-up on China."

The exercise will go on for a month in Australian territorial waters and will include training in land and air operations.</s>The exercises involving 33,000 U.S. and Australian troops on board battleships equipped with strike jets, comes as tension over China's more assertive activity, particularly in the disputed South China Sea, has raised fears of confrontation.

Admiral Harry Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, asked how he thought China would view the exercises, said the size of the deployment was intended as a signal.

"I'm pleased about that message it sends our friends, allies, partners and potential adversaries," Harris told reporters on board the USS Bonhomme Richard.

Relations between the United States and China have soured in recent months as the United States seeks to counter what it perceives as Chinese assertiveness in the Pacific, encapsulated by Beijing's artificial island building in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims on the waterway.

The United States estimates China has added more than 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) of land on seven reefs and tiny isles in the South China Sea over the past three years, installing runways, ports, aircraft hangars and communications equipment.

James Curran, professor of politics and foreign policy at the University of Sydney, said the exercise illustrated the close military ties between the United States and Australia but could raise worry in China about being surrounded.

"When there are concerns about China's activities in the South China Sea, this military exercise will send a signal and take on greater significance," Curran said.

"China will be concerned if it looks like containment, when you have Australia, the United States and others trying to gang-up on China."

The exercise will go on for a month in Australian territorial waters and will include training in land and air operations.</s>This work, Talisman Saber Open -Radio, by LCpl Jacob Colvin, identified by DVIDS, is free of known copyright restrictions under U.S. copyright law.</s>No. 1 Airfield Operations Support Squadron personnel use forklifts to load a No. 36 Squadron C-17A Globemaster during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013. Photo: LAC David Said

FREQUENT fliers may notice a few changes at Rockhampton Airport in coming months, as thousands of military personnel flood the region as part of Talisman Saber.

Rockhampton Airport boss Scott Waters said the joint training exercise between 30,000 Australian and US Forces was estimated to boost the economy with a direct injection of $5 million.

The indirect benefits expected to flow through the community are expected to be even higher once the exercise gets into full swing in early July.

Mr Waters said Talisman Saber was nearly triple the size of the annual Exercise Wallaby training with Singapore.

"We'll have a huge amount of aircraft activity culminating in the jumbo jets arriving and deploying a whole range of troops and personnel as well as equipment coming to our airport," Mr Waters said.

"This will come from the New Zealand Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the US Marines and also the US Air Force.

"They'll be a lot of activity and a lot of unique aircraft on display."

Mr Waters said Rockhampton Airport would deal with the majority of aircraft activity during Talisman Saber.

"We'll see a huge amount of activity moving in and out of Shoalwater Bay over coming months," he said.

"We absolutely have seen a huge amount of traffic and activity at our airport.

"All of the forces both in Australia and internationally have been represented coming through, the United States and New Zealand in particular.

"It gives us a lot of scope to show the diversity we have to offer."

Mr Waters said motorists using the Bruce Hwy should take care, with heavy machinery also travelling north by road.</s>Read more: U.S. Department of Defense

About 11,000 U.S. and NATO service members from 20 countries concluded the Saber Strike 17 exercise here on June 24. Pennsylvania Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Max Langford, a boom operator with the 171st Air Refueling Squadron, refuels a U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command B-52 Stratofortress during exercise Saber Strike 17 above Riga, Latvia, June 13, 2017.

Start the conversation, or Read more at U.S. Department of Defense.</s>Photo By Grady Fontana | 170628-N-IX266-001 GLADSTONE, Australia (June 26, 2017)—The heavy-lift vessel Ocean...... read more read more Photo By Grady Fontana | 170628-N-IX266-001 GLADSTONE, Australia (June 26, 2017)—The heavy-lift vessel Ocean Jazz arrives at the port here to offload military equipment that will be used in exercise Talisman Sabre 2017. The Ocean Jazz is under a Military Sealift Command contract to support U.S. Army Pacific’s transportation requirements. (U.S. Navy photo by Grady T. Fontana/Released) see less | View Image Page

GLADSTONE, Australia (June 29, 2017)—Military Sealift Command (MSC) combat logistics force (CLF) and heavy load carrier ships arrived Australia from various locations throughout the U.S. and Asia to deliver and sustain military forces that are participating during exercise Talisman Sabre 2017 (TS17), which starts on July 5 and runs for most of July. 

 

 “Talisman Saber 17 is a bilateral exercise, with 33,000 troops from all Service Components of the U.S. and Australia,” said Lt. Cmdr. Carlos Lopez, deputy N4, CLF officer, MSC Far East. “Twenty-one ships make up the combined forces maritime component command, of which eight USS combatants (ships) and five U.S. CLF ships are executing a long string of exercise scenarios offering Naval power projection and sustainment at sea vignettes.” 

 

 United States Navy fleet replenishment oilers USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204), USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194), and USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO 199), along with dry cargo ships USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) and USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), are operating out of the Australian ports of Townsville, Gladstone and Brisbane and are tasked with conducting about 75 replenishment-at-sea (RAS) events to eight U.S. Navy ships in support of the exercise. 

 

 The HMAS Success (OR 304), a multi-product replenishment oiler serving in the Royal Australian Navy, is slated to conduct roughly 24 RAS events with Australian units.

 

 “This combined exercise offers opportunities for all participants to learn both joint and combined military interoperability,” said Lopez. “It’s an amazing opportunity for military personnel to both observe and apply the art of war in an exercise.”

 

 Months of logistics preparation and execution were critical to successfully kicking off and sustaining the TS17 events. 

 

 According to Lopez, in order to meet the warfighters' sustainment requirements, a myriad of logistics partners synchronized preparations for months: Defense Logistics Agency; Navy Exchange; Fleet Logistics Center, Yokosuka; MSC; Commander, Task Force 73; Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet; and Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. 

 

 MSC ships supporting TS17 are not limited to CLF ships conducting RAS events. The Ocean Jazz, a heavy-lift vessel, delivered 387 pieces of TS17 equipment and containers slated for U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC). The Ocean Jazz arrived here June 26 and conducted the offload June 26-28.

 

 The Ocean Jazz is a member of the Maritime Security Program, a listing of American-flag ships that are assets the U.S. military can draw upon during contingencies. Ocean Jazz is a time-chartered commercial container ship that is contracted by MSC for USARPAC to support the Army’s transportation requirements. 

 

 Concurrent to TS17, the Ocean Jazz is engaged in a mobility operation for USARPAC called Pacific Pathways 17-2 and 3, where the ship will be conducting follow-on missions.

 

 Pacific Pathways is an innovation that links a series of U.S. Pacific Command-directed Security Cooperation exercises with allied and partner militaries to a single MSC charter vessel on a single voyage plan that delivers U.S. Army equipment to support the various exercises. The Pacific Pathways concept commits a designated task force and their force package equipment to the entire duration of a pathway. TS17 is the first offload for the Ocean Jazz.

 

 “In the next six months, the Ocean Jazz will travel to nine ports in six countries, while supporting six exercises,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Lorena C. Peck, senior mobility officer, USARPAC. “Pacific Pathways is the link between these previously-independent bilateral and multilateral exercises, and the unit is mission-tailored and task-organized for the entire series of exercises.” 

 

 Additionally, five MSC reserve-component Sailors also participated in TS17 and assembled an expeditionary port unit (EPU). 

 

 EPUs are highly mobile units that can quickly deploy anywhere in the world to establish port operations, even when port infrastructure is damaged or destroyed. 

 

 “The EPU 102 is here to prepare the way for the ship before its arrival,” said Lt. Cmdr. John B. Ward, a strategic sealift officer and head of training department with MSC’s Expeditionary Port Unit 102 out of New York. “The EPU assists in ship husbandry. I coordinate with the ship’s agent for the tugs, line handling…any support the ship might need.”

 

 MSC operates approximately 115 non-combatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.
Australia and the United States begin their month-long biennial joint military exercise, Talisman Saber, this year's being their largest ever, involving 33,000 U.S. and Australian troops on board amphibious assault ships.