Giant US-UK armada takes to water in ‘Talisman Sabre' show of force with aircraft carriers shrouded by fighter jet fleet
The impervious aircraft carriers and fighter jet fleets are taking part in live-fire exercises in Australia which include 35,000 military personnel from 19 different nations.
9
9
9
Australia marked the historic event, the largest war drills in their history, by firing missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
The HIMARS launchers were recently bought from the US and were unleashed today at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland.
Elsewhere, a striking display of allied naval might saw the UK and US deploy their USS George Washington and the HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carriers.
The UK - who sent over 3,000 troops - also used vessels such as HMS Richmond, HMS Dauntless, RFA Fort Victoria, and RFA Argus for the exercise.
The expansive multinational flotilla was shadowed by warships from Canada, Norway, and Australia as well.
The huge fleet were paired up with air operations and joint ground manoeuvres which took place across Australia's Northern Territory and Queensland.
Brigadier Nick Wilson told reporters after the drills: "Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day."
British Defence Secretary John Healey added: "The historic bonds between Britain and Australia run deep, and through AUKUS and exercises like Talisman Sabre we are strengthening these ties for the challenges of tomorrow.
"Our commitment to the Indo-Pacific is unwavering, as this huge military exercise demonstrates.
"We will continue to work alongside our closest allies to maintain the security and stability that underpins global prosperity."
Britain pledges more support to Ukraine as NATO warships prepare for largest drills since Cold War
Talisman Sabre has been a major biennial joint exercise ever since it was first announced in 2005 between the US and Australia.
This year saw dozens of other countries take part such as Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea among others.
The drills stretched all the way from Darwin to Brisbane as the allies imposed themselves across the Indo-Pacific.
The waters are often closely monitored by Chinese surveillance ships.
Beijing has kept a watchful eye over any naval exercises off the Australian coast during the last four Talisman Sabre exercises dating back to 2017.
Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said he expects China to monitor them again this time around.
Conroy said: "We'll adjust accordingly. We'll obviously observe their activities and monitor their presence around Australia.
"But we'll also adjust how we conduct those exercises."
9
9
9
It all comes as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese began a six-day visit to China of his own.
He is expected to hold a fourth face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday.
Albanese said despite Chinese surveillance being a concern, he would not raise it as an issue amid the Talisman Sabre operations.
China has been routinely trying to scare the West through their own military drills in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, dramatic footage captured a fleet of Chinese tank boats charging through the sea in tight formation near Taiwan.
And China's new giant "sea monster" warplane was spotted for the first time in the Bohai Sea.
These developments have raised fears that a Chinese invasion on Taiwan could be imminent.
Bringing the self-governed province back in line with mainland China has been a goal of president Xi Jinping 's for a long time and recent military activity has shown that China is ready to take it back by force.
The self-governing nation has been protected by the firepower of ally America for decades.
The latest Talisman Sabre drills will give Taiwan further hope of protection from not only the US but also the entire allied fleet.
The exercises are also aimed towards striking fear into other Western allies such as North Korea and Russia.
Russia's relationship with Europe has drastically worsened as Vladimir Putin continues to defy all warnings and continue with his deadly invasion of Ukraine.
But even Vlad, with all his firepower and huge army, faces a serious battle against a unified West due to his lack of aircraft carriers.
Russia only boasts a single rustbucket carrier - but even that is poised to be scrapped after seven years of failed repairs.
Putin's 'Ship of Shame' has played no role in the war against Ukraine and has instead been languishing in the grim Arctic port of Murmansk, in northwestern Russia.
9
9
9
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Pauline Hanson's urgent wake up call for Anthony Albanese: 'I will not stand by while Australia is driven into the ground'
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson will introduce an urgency motion calling on the government to ditch its 'disastrous' net zero emissions target. Senators are expected to vote on the motion on Monday afternoon, adding pressure to calls from within the Coalition to scrap the policy. Ms Hanson wrote to Senate President Sue Lines on Monday morning, advising of her intention to introduce the motion 'as a matter of urgency.' 'I recently spoke to a small business owner who told me they're paying $10,000 a month just for electricity, on top of rent. It's no wonder 30,000 small businesses have shut their doors in just three years,' she said. 'Net zero is a scam. It's destroying our industries, gutting our manufacturing, crippling farming and food production, driving up the cost of living and pushing families into poverty, homelessness and despair,' she said. 'We are being led by fools. Shame on every politician who continues to push this madness. I will not stand by while Australia is driven into the ground.' While the motion is expected to be defeated, Ms Hanson said it was about forcing Coalition senators onto the record. 'We know where Labor and the Greens stand, but I want to hear where those in the Coalition stand on this,' she said. 'It's an urgency motion and anyone who abstains from this is a coward.' Net zero has emerged as a fracture point within the recently reconstituted Coalition, with Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce teasing a private members bill to do away with it. On Wednesday, The Australian reported Nationals leader Michael McCormack would support Barnaby Joyce's bid, undermining the Coalition's ongoing net zero review. It was a shot across the bow for the senior Coalition partner, signalling to its more moderate members the Nationals were not prepared to retire the issue. Ms Hanson said welcomed the move by the two Nationals MPs, adding her party had known 'all along' that net zero was a 'bad idea'. 'While some National Party members have come to the realisation that net zero has been a bad idea that has hurt productivity, cost of living, and the agriculture sector, we've been saying this all along,' she told the Daily Telegraph. 'Barnaby Joyce to his credit seems to have turned the leaf and recognised that these issues are having an impact and he's attempting to reverse the damage he and his Coalition did in government.' In place of the policy, she wrote the government should 'prioritise providing Australian families, farmers, businesses and industry with cheap and reliable energy.' She said it would help to 'protect jobs, ensure energy security, lower the cost of living and restore Australia's economic competitiveness'. Ms Hanson added Australia's ambitious target of carbon neutrality by 2050 was difficult to square with its relatively minor impact on overall global emissions. 'While China and India are exempt from cutting emissions until 2060 or 2070, and the USA refuses to play ball, we're punishing our own country for contributing just one per cent of global emissions,' she wrote. 'Between them, those three nations emit over 50 per cent but it's Australians who are made to suffer.' According to the CSIRO, Australia contributes just over one per cent of global emissions while China, India and the US comprise a combined 52 per cent.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Sanction Israel and recognise Palestine: here are the steps Australia should take next on Gaza
The Albanese government has given its clearest statement yet on the legality of Israel's conduct in Gaza. Anthony Albanese told the ABC at the weekend that it was a breach of international law and a breach of humanity. Evidence of Israel's violations of international law has been compelling for some time. Examples include the indiscriminate targeting of the Palestinian population, a failure to apply the principle of distinction between Hamas and Gazan residents, and a breach of its Geneva convention obligations to provide food, medical supplies and aid to civilians. It is rare for an Australian prime minister to make such unambiguous statements on international law matters, especially with respect to the conduct of a friend such as Israel. These comments are the latest in a series of observations over the past year, whether they have taken the form of joint prime ministerial statements with Canada and New Zealand, or the statement issued on Friday which said: 'Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.' The time has come for the Albanese government to do more than just issue statements decrying breaches of international law. Ample scope exists under Australian law to impose autonomous sanctions on Israel to make clear its objections to the ongoing Gaza conflict. On 10 June Australia joined Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom in sanctioning Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. If those two Israeli ministers can be sanctioned for inciting serious abuses of Palestinian human rights, what further steps can be taken against Israeli ministers responsible for directing actions in direct violation of international law? Australia has imposed autonomous sanctions in relation to Russia in response to the 'Russian threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine'. There is no legal reason why similar sanctions cannot be approved with respect to Israel's threat to Palestine and Palestinians. Israel's conduct in Gaza has also placed the spotlight on Australia's position on the recognition of a Palestinian state. The prime minister also made clear at the weekend that Australia will not recognise Palestine while Hamas is in power in Gaza, and that Australia will not recognise Palestine as a 'gesture'. Nevertheless, President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France will recognise Palestine at the September meeting of the United Nations general assembly will continue to place a spotlight on the Albanese government's response given the momentum towards Palestinian recognition over the past year. About 147 states now recognise Palestine. Those that do not are predominantly from Europe in addition to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Four traditional criteria are applied to recognition of a new state. First, a defined territory. Palestine comprises the West Bank, Gaza and parts of Jerusalem. While those borders are well known they are contested by Israel. However, contested borders cannot be used as an effective block and many countries have disputed borders, as is evidenced by the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand. Second, there must be a permanent population which is satisfied by the Palestinian peoples who predominantly occupy Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. Third, there must be a government which is met by the Palestinian Authority. While the PA may have limited capacity to control affairs in Gaza as that territory is under Israeli occupation an allowance can be made for that exceptional situation. Finally, there must be evidence of the ability to enter into international relations. That is occurring through the PA's engagement with UN institutions including the general assembly and the international criminal court, and through the many other states that recognise and engage with Palestine. That Palestine has yet to attain the formal status of a UN member is not determinative of its status. Switzerland only joined the UN in 2002 after a long period of remaining distant due to its desire to maintain neutrality. Any decision by the Albanese government to recognise Palestine would only come after cabinet endorsement. Unlike other decisions to recognise new states such as Timor-Leste or South Sudan, Australia's recognition of Palestine will generate fierce domestic political debate. Albanese has made clear that recognition of Palestine is conditional on Hamas having no ongoing role. Yet in the short term it remains improbable that Hamas will be completely removed from Gaza or as a force in Palestinian politics. Any recognition of Palestine by Australia could include a special condition which made clear it would not politically recognise an Hamas-led Palestinian government. This would be a break from Australian recognition policy towards new states but would acknowledge the exceptional nature of the Palestinian question and that Australia would not tolerate any form of Hamas Palestinian government. Anthony Albanese insists that Australian foreign policy is made in Canberra and not overseas. However, with respect to both sanctioning Israel over Gaza and eventually recognising Palestine there is every prospect that Australia will seek to avoid any Trump administration fallout in the form of increased unilateral tariffs on Australian exports. Donald Rothwell is a professor of international law at the Australian National University
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Young Australians have much higher student debt than generations before them, data shows
The government is about to cut student debt by 20% across the board – so how much debt do young Australians have, and how much has it changed? Labor's student debt relief bill is likely to pass with bipartisan support and will slash the Hecs/Help debt for about 3 million graduates by an average of $5,500, according to the government. Data from the tax office shows that the average Hecs/Help debt held by younger Australians increased by a third between 2009 and 2024, even with inflation taken into account. This coincides with a consistent increase in the time it will take to pay off the debt – now almost a decade. Some economists say Labor's 20% cut isn't the fairest way to relieve student debt, while higher education expert Prof Andrew Norton says 'more graduates will be caught on a debt treadmill, repaying less than the annual indexation on their Help balance'. Sign up: AU Breaking News email On Wednesday, ACT senator David Pocock fronted the media alongside five other independent MPs and a string of peak bodies calling for structural reform to higher education – including student tertiary fees. Under the Coalition's Job-Ready Graduates package (JRG), introduced in 2021, the student contribution for degrees including arts, law and business drastically increased, with students now accruing debts of about $17,000 per year of study. The federal government has deferred reforming the widely panned scheme to an independent tertiary commission, established this year in its interim phase. 'Labor want another review into something that we knew was broken when it was introduced,' Pocock said on Wednesday. 'Where is the courage from this government to embrace hard reform?' The independent member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan, will this week table an amendment to the student debt bill to reverse the JRG package and change the timing of Hecs/Help indexation until after prepayments are made. (Student debts are indexed every year before the ATO takes into account the payments made on them, meaning the interest doesn't take into account the repayments.) 'If the government truly values education, it must find the capacity to fund it properly,' she said. The National Union of Students is on her side. Its president, Ashlyn Horton, said cutting debt was a 'long overdue move' that indicated Canberra 'might finally be listening' to concern about the rising cost of degrees. But she said it 'doesn't come close to fixing the structural mess that got us here'. In the meantime, the $50,000 arts degree is here, and dying with your debt is a real possibility.
