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Ready to roll ... More than 30,000 soldiers, marines, sailors and flyers from Australia, the US, New Zealand and Japan will participate in the exercise scenario. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Source: Getty Images
“ENEMY†forces are dug in and poised in the jungles of Northern Australia waiting for thousands of allied troops to storm ashore and drop from the skies for the nation’s biggest war game — Talisman Sabre 2015.
More than 30,000 soldiers, marines, sailors and flyers from Australia, the US, New Zealand and Japan will participate in the exercise scenario.
Talisman Sabre 2015 ... The nation’s biggest war game is about to begin. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Source: Getty Images
It involves “friendly†forces from combined Australia-US task forces restoring representative government in two fictional countries called “Ligais†(Shoalwater Bay near Rockhampton) and “Monmir†at Fog Bay west of Darwin.
Both “countries†are backed by a large and powerful ally known as “Kamariaâ€.
Exercise boss and commander of the US Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral Robert Thomas, told News Corp Australia that none of the nations in the exercise should be associated with any “real†country.
Down under ... USS Green Bay's Captain Kirsty McCallum and QM2 Nickolas Gibson are in Darwin with the ship to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2015. Picture: Supplied. Source: News Corp Australia
The Seventh Fleet is the biggest American naval force with 51 ships, 10 submarines, 170 aircraft and 40,000 personnel.
That is more fire power than the entire Australian Defence Force.
When asked directly if China figured in any of the exercise planning his response was, “Noâ€.
He said the exercise focus was on interoperability between the forces involved.
“You really develop a common play book between Australian defence forces and US military so that we can respond to any contingency,†Admiral Thomas said.
Incoming ... US Paratroopers from the 4/25th Infantry Division descend to the drop zone. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Source: Getty Images
While the exercise focus was a regional contingency he said it would have a global application whether that was a humanitarian disaster or full-scale war.
For the first time the scenario will include the UN Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.
“I think we will get some great lessons out of this,†Admiral Thomas said.
Deputy commander and Australian Army Major General Stuart Smith said the exercise scenario would take the forces through all the likely events that could be encountered from disaster relief to the restoration of law and order.
Friendly forces ... Major General Stuart Smith and Vice Admiral Robert L Thomas during a press conference on board the US 7th fleet flag ship USS Blue Ridge. Picture: Tim Hunter. Source: News Corp Australia
“It is important for both our nations … so that when we are called in our region in the future it is about stepping in with the same people that we know,†Major General Smith said.
Kiwi troops will be embedded with Australian forces and 40 Japanese soldiers will operate alongside US Marines for the exercise.
Peace activists have attempted to disrupt the exercise with three men walking into the Shoalwater Bay training area this week.
Award winning documentary maker David Bradbury also launched his anti-war film “War on Trial†in Rockhampton on Saturday night.
It follows the trial of Graeme Dunstan who helped the late peace activist Bryan Law attack a Tiger Helicopter at Rockhampton airport during the 2011 exercise.