Total of 17,000 soldiers – 2000 from overseas – to take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre

Close to 2000 overseas soldiers will descend on Queensland next month for a huge joint military exercise, but they will face stringent Covid restrictions both before and during their time here.

Nearly 2,000 foreign soldiers will soon enter the country for Exercise Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest joint military training exercise with the United States, and all will spend two weeks in quarantine.

The biennial exercise will take place mainly across central and northeast Queensland, including at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, from July 14 to July 31.

The scale of the ninth iteration of the exercise has been reduced because of Covid-19, with about 17,000 people expected to take part.

We are back! 💪
 
International forces participating in #TalismanSabre will arrive into Australia throughout June and July for mandatory quarantine, ahead of the exercise! 🇦🇺🇺🇸#YourADF#TS21pic.twitter.com/oaAqWLiKpX

— TalismanSabre (@TalismanSabre) June 1, 2021

Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, said the exercise was “fundamental” to Australia’s alliance with the US and was “critical to maintaining ADF combat readiness”.

“Around 1,800 foreign military personnel will arrive in Australia for this year’s exercise,” he said.

“We will also have part of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin participating, as well as naval and air assets exercising exclusively off-shore.

“Talisman Sabre would not be possible without the cooperation and ongoing support of the local community, councils, state authorities – including Chief Health Officers – and traditional owners.

“The ADF, together with our United States and visiting partner nations, are committed to delivering a safe exercise, not just for the personnel involved, but the community as well.”

Participating foreign militaries – the United States, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom – will arrive in groups of several hundred from early June to mid-July and spend 14 days in quarantine in approved Defence-managed facilities.

France, India and Indonesia will participate as observer nations.

With agreement from relevant state and territory authorities, the majority of arrivals will quarantine in either Bladin Village in the Northern Territory or ADF-managed hotels in Queensland.

A small number will also quarantine in ADF-managed hotels in New South Wales.

They will all have to present a negative Covid-19 test before departure, be tested on arrival and before exiting quarantine, and have daily health checks for virus symptoms.

The Department of Defence said that no military member entering Australia would take the place of an Australian returning from overseas.

Originally published as Total of 17,000 soldiers – 2000 from overseas – to take part in Exercise Talisman Sabre