Grey-Zone Warfare, Front of Mind at Talisman Sabre

GREY-ZONE WARFARE FRONT OF MIND - Talisman Sabre

As soldiers tested their skills and combat readiness during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021, they were also training for another looming and more insidious threat: the risk of cyber and information warfare.

Troops from the United States, Japanese militaries joined Australia and other allies in the international “show of might” which transformed parts of Queensland into a mock war zone as part of Australia’s largest bilateral defence exercise with the US.

Australian Defence Force TS21 director Air Commodore Stuart Bellingham said the exercise, which drew to a close on Sunday 1st August, also prepared the nation for the changing face of war and focused on the threat of cyber and information attacks.

“We are preparing for war, that is what we do,” he said. ”The traditional domains of air, land and sea are now coupled with cyber and information warfare and that is how we train.

“Cyber is a key domain that we have now in warfighting, as is information warfare.”

Around 17,000 military personnel from seven nations participated in TS21 which welcomed the Republic of Korea as a participating nation for the first time.

The multi-national forces have undertaken co-ordinated live fire activities, amphibious beach-landings, war at sea and in the air, land and urban operations, space operations and cyber missions.

Air Commodore Stuart Bellingham said a Chinese spy ship that sat off the coast of Queensland to observe the exercise added a “level of realism” to the training exercise.

United States Acting Charge D’Affairs Doug Sonnek spoke at the closing ceremony, hosted at Kissing Point,Townsville, where he praised participating troops and highlighted the importance of fostering allegiances.

Speaking at the closing ceremony Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said the complex training exercise strengthened Australia’s relationships in the Indo-Pacific and described the region as “challenging”.

He noted the increased threat of grey-zone warfare and noted the shift in conflict strategy over the past 10 years. “We need to be ready. It is very important we have a robust defence,” he said. “(Talisman Sabre) is a show of force against hostile threats anywhere in the world. “They need to know that we work closely together with our allies. We do show any hostiles, any friends … or anyone that wants to do us harm that we are here and committed to train together and, if in case, we are willing and ready to fight together.”

Air Commodore Bellingham said the strength of Australia’s multinational partnerships was tested during Talisman Sabre.

“Our strength is as a group,” he said.

“We are preparing together because our Defence Force is all about being prepared for any contingency.

“There is strength in that multilateral partnership. We tested it, we tried it, we didn't break it.”

Some of the highlights of Talisman Sabre included: • Australia welcomed the Republic of Korea as a participating nation for the first time. Their Destroyer,

ROKS Wang Geon, contributed to a maritime warfare scenario involving around 20 ships and 60 aircraft. • The US MIM-104 Patriot surface to air missile was fired for the first time on Australian soil. • 120 Spartan Paratroopers from

Alaska embarked in two Royal

Australian Air Force C-17A

Globemaster III aircraft in Darwin and jumped over the skies of

Charters Towers to join Australian land forces. • Amphibious forces from Australia,

United States, Japan and the

United Kingdom operated from

HMAS Canberra for the first time as an integrated landing force. • US Space Command deployed to Australia for the first time. This team exercised important new capabilities in the space domain.

Exercise Talisman Sabre participating nations flags on display at the closing ceremony in Townsville. Defence image.