In 2023, the Bundeswehr will participate for the first time with the German Army in the Talisman Sabre exercise in Australia. It will take place from 22 July to 4 August 2023 and consists of several sub-exercises.
This is already the tenth iteration of the Talisman Sabre exercise. In addition to amphibious landings, ground force maneuvers and air combat operations, participants also practice combat at sea. The German Armed Forces are represented in Australia by 241 personnel. 170 Army soldiers from the Parachute Regiment, 31 soldiers from Seedorf in Lower Saxony and, for the first time, around 40 members of the German Navy are taking part in the exercise between July 22 and Aug. 4, 2023.
The bulk of the approximately 30,000 participants in the exercise come from the United States and Australia. Fiji, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, France, the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany are sending additional personnel. In addition, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand will participate as observers.
The exercise is intended to strengthen interoperability and gain and share knowledge among NATO partners. In this way, the Army is deepening security relations with Indo-Pacific value partners. In particular, it is hoped to strengthen military cooperation with the USA and Australia. The required 24 tons of equipment have already reached Down Under. In two Airbus A400M aircraft, the Bundeswehr is transporting the material from Germany via Canada, the USA, Hawaii and Fiji to Australia.
Despite the european focus
Despite the current defence policy focus on Europe, the Bundeswehr was making clear the importance of the Indo-Pacific region for the peace and prosperity of the Federal Republic and its partners through its participation. “Our message is: we want to be a credible and reliable partner. We see Australia as a strong pillar in the region,” explains the Army’s Inspector General, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais. Mais will personally attend the exercise.
“Talisman Sabre reflects our shared commitment to lasting relationships between trusted partners and to a stable Indo-Pacific region through the maintenance of a rules-based order,” is how Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles describes the exercise.
Jonas Brandstetter, editorial staff