Talisman Sabre 2025
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25) will be the 11th and largest iteration of the exercise. It will consist of a live fire exercise, and field training exercises incorporating force preparation activities, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, and air combat and maritime operations.
Forces will be moving into Australian training areas from mid-July 2025.
Participants
Exercise Talisman Sabre continues to grow, with 19 nations invited to participate in this iteration. The exercise is a key opportunity to work with partners from across the region and around the globe.
The exact number of personnel and types of equipment are still being planned, but it is expected the exercise will be similar to past iterations in scale and complexity.
Locations
TS25 will utilise a number of locations, including both Defence and non-Defence training areas. These locations provide a realistic test of how a large military force should function in a broad area of operations. TS25 will leverage locations and ranges for all domains of military operations: air, land, maritime, space, and cyberspace. Exact locations are still being planned and will be updated as they become available.
Community engagement
Defence consults with local governments, land owners and emergency services to help plan all field training exercises, including TS25. This engagement will occur with dedicated Defence liaison officers on location to ensure community communication.
Some community impacts expected during TS25 are:
- Large military vehicle convoys will be on public roads, including major highways and country roads.
- RAAF Bases will experience increased military air traffic during TS25. Notices of flying dates and timeframes will be published publicly.
- Closures of waters and airspace in vicinity of training areas (including non-Defence Training Areas) will be communicated via notices to mariners and notices to airmen respectively. Temporary restrictions to airspace will apply for some activities. Yachts, fishing vessels and aircraft operating are asked to heed these notices and maintain a safe distance from military training.
- In non-Defence Training Areas, TS25 will involve the use of weapons and blank ammunition. Public safety is of utmost importance, and all required risk reduction measures will be taken. The public should not handle weapons or touch ammunition and ordnance.
Safety management
Defence conducts site surveys to plan TS25 activities in a safe way that maximises training objectives and minimises possible impacts.
The management and control measures to restrict public access to the training areas used throughout TS25 are designed to keep the community and exercise participants safe.
Defence will work with local communities to ensure access around training areas is clearly marked and easily identified.
Environmental management
Defence will protect threatened species, migratory species and marine mammals through a comprehensive framework of risk mitigation procedures ensuring compliance with relevant legislation.
An environmental management group will be on location throughout TS25 to ensure incident management and resolution occurs.
All foreign equipment, stores and ammunition being brought into Australia will be subject to biosecurity inspection.
Economic contributions
TS25 is expected to have a positive economic impact on local communities with Defence actively employing multiple local service providers injecting millions of dollars into communities nationally.