Australia and the United States rehearsed precision missile strikes during war games on Saturday as Canberra reviews its military strategy in favor of long-range firepower.
A series of live-fire drills were conducted at the Shoalwater Bay military complex in North East Queensland, showcasing the US-made HIMARS missile system recently sold to the Australian Defense Force.
More than 30,000 soldiers will participate in the biennial Talisman Saber exercises over the next two weeks, including soldiers from Japan, France, Germany and South Korea.
The drills come as Australia embarks on a major overhaul of its military, turning to long-range strike capabilities in an effort to keep potential foes like China at a distance.
Australian Army Major Tony Purdy said the HIMARS weapon, used to devastating effect by the Ukrainian military, would “provide a significant increase in capability” and much-needed “long-range precision”.
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HIMARS, or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, was developed by Lockheed Martin for the United States military in the 1990s.
Defense chiefs have praised its coveted “shoot and slide ability”: it can be quickly positioned, fired, moved, and reloaded, making it difficult for the enemy to find and target, reducing risk to the crew.
Australia’s first HIMARS are due to expire in 2025 and are expected to come into use over the next two years.
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Beijing has been closely watching the drills, which come amid growing concern about China’s growing military might in the Asia-Pacific.
A Chinese spy ship had been spotted off Australia’s northeast coast as preparations were underway, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, Australia’s head of joint operations, told reporters on Friday.
Exercise Talisman Saber will also see troops conducting amphibious landings, air combat, and maritime operations in several Australian states and territories.
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Maj. Jimmy Sheehan, Talisman Saber spokesman for US forces, said the exercise showed “greater complexity, scope and partner nation involvement.”
“Language barriers aside, it is a challenge to synchronize long-range fire from both the air and the ground,” he told AFP.
“But today we saw service members from Australia, the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea successfully operate as a single unit from command and control to execution at the tactical level.”
Speaking about the rest of the exercise, he added: “These initiatives and ‘firsts’ ultimately create an exercise that will enhance Australia’s and the US’s ability to respond to global security challenges in the region.”
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