Patrick Durrant | Sydney
Four hundred Alaskan paratroopers from the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division have parachuted into the Shoalwater Bay exercise area for Talisman Sabre 15 after a 16 hour C-17 Globemaster flight from the US. They will be joined by Australian troops from the 7th Brigade.
US Army Pacific Exercise Commander Brigadier General Brian Alvin said it is always exciting to watch the culmination of months of training and coordination between the Australians and the United States.
"The beautiful thing about this jump was that the Australians flew two of their aircraft up to Alaska, joining five of the US aircraft and after a 16 hour flight back, they enabled the US Soldiers [to] parachute onto the airfield in Australia," Alvin said.
Talisman Sabre 15 preparations have been underway for several months, and the strategic air drop was one of the larger events of the central Queensland part of the exercise. Concurrent activities are occurring in northern Australia.
The biennial exercise which commenced on 5 July provides an invaluable opportunity for nearly 30,000 US and Australian personnel to conduct operations in a combined, joint and interagency environment that will increase both countries' ability to plan and execute a full range of operations from combat missions to humanitarian assistance.
Earlier in the week more than more than 260 military and civilian personnel from Australia and the U.S. arrived on board US 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge, bringing additional manpower and capabilities to the 7th Fleet staff prior to the start of exercise.
The Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF) and NZDF is participating in the exercise for the first time. The JSDF has sent a contingent from its Western Army to conduct amphibious exercises with the US Marine Corps 31 Marine Expeditionary Force. New Zealand's warships RNZN Te Kaha and RNZN Endeavour are also participating along with two RNZAF NH90 helicopters.