Talisman Saber 2009 FAQ
What is Talisman Saber?
Exercise Talisman Saber is a United States led, Australian supported, training activity that is focused on the planning and conduct of "high end" war-fighting involving a Combined Task Force. The exercise will aim to improve combat training, readiness and interoperability, across the spectrum of military operations from conventional conflict to peacekeeping to humanitarian aid. TS09 is the third in this series of Australian-United States bilateral exercises. Held biennially, the exercise is conducted primarily in Australia but also involves participation in scenarios and ‘real life’ training in Hawaii and main land United States.
When will Talisman Saber 09 be held?
Australian and US forces assigned to Talisman Saber 2009 will begin to concentrate from 6 July 2009. The period between the 6–12 July will be used to conduct workup and force integration training to allow the armed forces of Australia and the US to act as a single cohesive and coherent force. The live phase of the Exercise will conducted from 13-25 July 2009. Approximately 30,000 personnel from the Australian and US forces will be participating in TS09 although this number will fluctuate depending on tasks. This number includes the crews of the naval units and the personnel supporting military aircraft. In the lead up to TS09, a number of planning events and tasks will see an increase in military personnel in some areas around Australia.
Where will Talisman Saber 09 be held?
Talisman Saber 2009 will be held at a number of different locations around Australia, primarily in Queensland, Northern Territory, and the Coral Sea. Key sites include the Australian Defence Force’s Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Townsville Field Training Area, Cowley Beach Training Area, Bradshaw Field Training area, Delamere Range Facility, and RAAF Bases Tindal, Darwin and Townsville. There will also be a number of support sites which will be used for staging and other activities including airports in Queensland and Northern Territory (RAAF Townsville, Rockhampton, Brisbane and RAAF Darwin), Port facilities in Queensland (Brisbane, Gladstone and Alma Ports), and the Coral and Arafura Seas.
