Photo Friday: Scenes from Talisman Saber

An AH1-W Super Cobra, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, provides close air support at Freshwater Beach, Queensland, Australia. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

While Pentagon watchers have kept eyes on Washington’s budget battles this week, the US military has been conducting a major military exercise in the land down under.

Talisman Saber is a joint program, led by the US, designed to strengthen military cooperation between the Pentagon and the Australian Defense Force.  The exercise began July 15 and will go through Aug. 5, although military units might run joint training exercises after the event officially ends. The main action is concentrated at “the  Shoalwater Bay Training Area (Central Queensland), Townsville Field Training Area, port facilities in Queensland (Brisbane, Gladstone and Alma Ports),” according to the official website.

And because it’s the year 2013, the operation has a dedicated Facebook and Twitter page. What might interest our readers is the impressive number of high-quality photos, showing of both the equipment and individual service members involved, that are hosted on that Facebook page.

Intercepts combed through the photo gallery and pulled a few of our favorites. Click through to their page to see the rest.

Australian Defence Force rigid-hull inflatable boats from Tactical Assault Group (East), prepare to intercept a 'suspect' vessel in the waters off Yeppoon, Queensland, during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

Australian Army soldiers from 3rd Brigade ('Blue Force') take a break on an M113AS4 armoured personnel carrier (APC) during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 at Shoalwater Bay, Queensland. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

 

Australian Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, and U.S. Navy Commander, US Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, announce the official completion of Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 during a media conference on board USS Blue Ridge in Cairns, Queensland. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

An Australian Defence Force special forces operator from Tactical Assault Group (East), scales a ladder up to the flight deck of the Royal Australian Navy refuelling tanker HMAS Sirius off the coast of Yeppoon, Queensland, during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

U.S. Marines and sailors with Golf Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, perform an amphibious landing at Freshwater Beach, Queensland, Australia. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

 

The USS Blue Ridge approaches Garden Island Naval Base, Fleet Base East, Sydney, for a port visit prior to Exercise Talisman Saber 2013. (Talisman Saber Facebook page)

U.S. military and Royal Australian Air Force personnel gather for a group photograph in front of an AP-3C Orion at RAAF Base Townsville during Exercise Talisman Saber 2013.

Aaron Mehta

Aaron Mehta

Air Warfare Correspondent at Defense News
Aaron covers the Air Force for Defense News. In his spare time, he tweets about the Air Force for Defense News. Follow him @AaronMehta
Aaron Mehta
[starbox]