Australia fires first HIMARS long-range rocket in war game with US
Armoured trucks with HIMARS - High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems that can reach 400 km (250 miles) - are in high demand in the Ukraine conflict and are also being acquired by U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, which is reshaping its forces to respond to China's military build-up.
On the first day of Australia's largest war games, "Talisman Sabre", the U.S., Australia, Japan, France, South Korea and Singapore held a live-fire exercise in northern Queensland involving U.S. F-35B fighter jets and land-based long-range strike rockets and missiles.
Up to 40,000 troops from 19 nations are taking part in Talisman Sabre, across thousands of kilometres from Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on Australia's east coast.
Australian Army Brigadier Nick Wilson, director general of the combined live-fire exercise, said it was the first time Australia, Singapore and the United States had fired HIMARS together, and the first firing by Australia on home soil.
"HIMARS will be utilised in conjunction with a number of other weapon platforms ... to ensure we have a strategy of denial for security, peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific," he told reporters on Monday.
The joint exercise at Shoalwater Bay in north Queensland was watched by Australian Governor General Sam Mostyn and Chief of Defence Admiral David Johnston.
Australia has previously said army regiments with HIMARS can be transported to neighbouring island states with defence agreements to protect its northern approaches in a conflict.
Lockheed Martin delivered the first two of 42 HIMARS launcher vehicles ordered by Australia in April.
Australia has said it will spend A$74 billion ($49 billion) on missiles over the next decade, including a new domestic manufacturing capability.
U.S. Army Lieutenant General Joel Vowell, deputy commanding general for the Pacific, said on Sunday the U.S. needed to work with partners in the Indo-Pacific, and that Talisman Sabre was "a deterrent mechanism because our ultimate goal is no war".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The 'massive' extent of new U.S. lethal arms package to Ukraine revealed as Republicans debate sending more aid
NATO Secretary Mark Rutte said the new flow of arms form the U.S. to Ukraine will be 'massive' – with further munitions packages to follow following talks with President Trump. Rutte described the package in comments to the Daily Mail as he briefed lawmakers on a scheme to use the new financing proposal to funnel lethal weaponry to Ukraine as it staves off repeated Russian drone and missile attacks. The former Dutch PM is meeting with lawmakers still assessing President Donald Trump 's sudden U-turn on Ukraine – if the president applying new pressure on Moscow even while continuing to say American taxpayers have borne too much of the burden, and has publicly refused to pick sides in the war. 'How do you say it in English? Infinite – it's not finite,' Rutte told the Daily Mail between meetings in the Senate. 'This will be packages designed … to make sure that Ukrainians get a handle what they need, of course, taking into account what US can deliver, because you also still have to make sure that you have enough stuff and gear here to defend yourselves,' he said. 'But this is potentially massive. And not only air defense, it is also missiles and ammunition,' he added. He stressed that the proposal is designed to make sure that 'you have enough in stock for yourself,' amid concerns among top Pentagon officials who ordered a temporary pause to aid while it assessed U.S. stockpiles. He said the 'potentially massive air defense, plus missiles and ammunition' packages still had to be arranged at the granular level. 'But NATO is good at this, because we have designed these packages over three and a half years now with Ukrainian.' Rutte spoke a day after meeting with Trump in the office. The president deferred to Rutte in response to a question by the Daily Mail about whether there was a ceiling on what the Europeans are willing to meet. 'It's not that you can have a shopping list and you can order whatever you want, because the U.S. has to make sure that the U.S. keeps his hands on what US needs also to keep the whole world safe. Because in the end, you are the police agent of the whole world.' He brought up Germany and other major NATO allies 'talking about big numbers.' 'They are really enthusiastic about this. They're willing to go very far, I will tell you,' Trump added. As he left the White House today, Trump denied a key element of Financial Times report that Trump had a fiery conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky July 4 where he encouraged the Ukrainian to strike deep inside Russian territory. 'Volodymyr, can you hit Moscow? . . . Can you hit St Petersburg too?' Trump asked his counterpart, according to the report. Asked if Zelensky should target Moscow, Trump replied: 'No, he shouldn't target Moscow.' Trump defended his latest statements toward Russia – that he will impose 'secondary tariffs' after 50 days if there is no deal with Moscow. 'What we decided is us making up its stockpiles available for Ukraine, paid for better Europeans, in a way, of course, that you have enough in stock for yourself. Potentially massive air defense, plus missiles and ammunition. But of course, all the details now will be work through.
Sky News
3 hours ago
- Sky News
Why was the Afghan data leak kept secret for 600 days?
👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈 It was a mistake that endangered the lives of thousands of Afghans, including many who had worked with British forces. For the first time, the Ministry of Defence has admitted it was responsible for a data breach that has been kept a secret for years - at huge expense to taxpayers - with the help of a super injunction that prevented media or parliamentary scrutiny. Almost 7,000 Afghans are being relocated to the UK following the blunder by the British military. Mark Austin is joined by Sky's security and defence editor Deborah Haynes, as well as one of the lawyers representing many of those affected by the leak.
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
The Daily T: Why has Trump changed his mind on Russia?
He was elected in 2024 promising to end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours, and less than six months ago he halted the flow of military aid to Kyiv after giving President Zelensky a dressing down in the Oval Office. But Donald Trump now seems to have changed his tune on Ukraine. The President has announced that the US will resume the supply of weapons, via Nato, and also threatened 100pc tariffs on Russia if a deal isn't done. He also later told the BBC that he was 'disappointed' in Putin. Camilla and Tim speak to former economic advisor to Donald Trump, Carla Sands, who blames 'weak and flabby militaries throughout Europe' and a 'feckless' Joe Biden for the current situation in Ukraine, and believes Trump will get a deal despite Putin not being an 'honest broker'. Elsewhere, Camilla and Tim speak to Conservative MP James Cleverly, who was making a speech in Central London about countering the rise of Reform, and ask him if he's on manoeuvres for a leadership run.
