US pledge to stand by Aussies after Talisman Sabre crash tragedy

Top military officials from Australia and the United State have declared their unwavering commitment to Exercise Talisman Sabre as they expressed sorrow for four personnel still missing after a catastrophic crash during war-games in north Queensland.

Top military officials from Australia and the United States have declared their unwavering commitment to Exercise Talisman Sabre as they expressed sorrow for four personnel still missing after a catastrophic crash during war-games in north Queensland.

The disastrous ditching of an MRH90 Taipan during night-time exercise off Lindeman Island loomed large over high-level talks between Australian and American defence and foreign affairs officials in Brisbane.

The annual AUSMIN talks delivered significant progress in deepening Australian and US military ties and cementing itself in an increasingly contested Pacific, but the timing was inextricably linked to what is set to be the nation’s worst peacetime disaster in at least two decades.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. (AAP Image/Darren England)

The crash happened about 11pm on Friday night hours before Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong were due to host their US counterparts Lloyd Austin and Antony Blinken 1000km away.

The incident cast a sombre mood over the start of the talks which also involved high profile ambassadors Kevin Rudd and Caroline Kennedy, and top military brass including Chief of Defence General Angus Campbell and Defence Department Secretary Greg Moriarty.

“We really are reminded as our two countries are exercising together in Talisman Sabre, that this is serious work, it is risky work,” Mr Marles said in his AUSMIN opening remarks.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the group’s thoughts were with the families of the aircrew still missing after the crash.

“We are reminded that those who serve our country do so recognising the risk that service entails and demonstrating every day the courage to take on that risk on our behalf,” she said.

The “unbreakable bond” between Australia and the United States was on full display, with American troops involved in the major search and rescue effort near Lindeman Island involving at least 1000 people across defence and Queensland emergency services.

Secretary of Defense Austin said the Americans stood ready to help Australia “in any way that we can” in the search and rescue of four aircrew personnel missing in North Queensland.

An MRH90 Taipan went down in waters off Hamilton Island on Friday night. Picture: Steve Vit

“I’ve told the Deputy Prime Minister that whatever he needs, we stand ready to provide,” he said.

The Sunday Mail has confirmed top defence officials from both nations will travel to North Queensland on Sunday to meet troops involved in Talisman Sabre as planned.

It’s understood military top brass advised the visit of leaders from both nations would have a positive impact on troops, with officials agreeing to continue on as planned on the proviso resources allocated to the search and rescue were not impacted.

Mr Marles backed the long-running Talisman Sabre war-games — which now involves more than 30,000 troops from 13 nations — as Australia’s “most important” biennial military exercise.

“It is so important for both of our defence forces. It’s serious, it is dangerous,” he said.

“You can’t have a capable defence force without it being match fit and it can’t be match fit unless it engages in training and exercises.

“Talisman Sabre is about … the Australian Defence Force and the US … making sure that we are capable in terms of the various skills and capacities that our defence forces have.

“But importantly, that we are capable in terms of the way in which we operate together and that interoperability is at the highest level possible.”

Mr Austin, who commanded US troops in Iraq, reflected on how “tough” it can be to have accidents in training.

“Our guys tend to make this look easy, and they make it look easy because they’re so well-exercised and versed in training and this is unfortunately part of that, what it takes to get them to what we need them to be,” he said.