CANBERRA, Australia -- The opening ceremony for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 was held in the Port of Brisbane aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), July 7, to formally launch Australia’s largest bilateral exercise with the United States.

Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said the exercise was designed to enhance combat readiness and interoperability between the Australian and United States armed forces.

“This premier military engagement reflects the strength of the Australia-US alliance and the closeness of our military to military relationship,” Minister Reynolds said.

“Exercise Talisman Sabre will involve more than 34,000 personnel from Australia and the United States.

“Forces from Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom will be embedded alongside Australian Defence Force personnel, and delegations from India and the Republic of Korea will observe the exercise. Eighteen nations from across the Indo-Pacific region have also been invited to an international visitors program.”

The bilateral exercise is the culmination of extensive and ongoing local community engagement throughout the exercise area.

“Talisman Sabre would not be possible without the generous cooperation of the local community including landowners, governments and traditional owners.”

The majority of Talisman Sabre 2019 activities will take place in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area and surrounding State Forests, near Rockhampton.

Other events will occur around Stanage Bay and the Capricorn Coast, Whitsunday region, Mackay region, Bundaberg and surrounding region, the Townsville Field Training Area and the Evans Head Air Weapons Range in NSW.