BOWEN, QLD, Australia (USS Wasp, At Sea) -- U.S. Marines, Australian Soldiers, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Members conducted multi-national simulated amphibious mechanized and direct-action raids in Bowen, Australian as a part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 19, July 22 and 23.

Assault amphibious vehicles loaded with Fox Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, launched from the amphibious transport dock USS Green Bay (LPD 20), landing on the beach in waves along with Australian Soldiers assigned to the Amphibious Task Group and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members with the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade. Following the landing, Force Reconnaissance Marines with 31st MEU’s Maritime Raid Force pushed inland on Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicles and up-armored Humvees brought ashore by Landing Craft, Air Cushion hovercraft from the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) to conduct a simulated limited small-scale raid on a factory as a culminating event for the exercise.

"Exercises like Talisman Sabre are really beneficial for us as a company," said Captain Ryan J. Moore, Fox Company Commander, BLT 2/1, 31st MEU. "They offer my Marines and I the ability to operate in a complex and challenging multinational environment, allowing us to hone our skills and improve our interoperability with our Australian and Japanese partners."

Amphibious operations provide a Combined-Joint Force commander the capability to rapidly project power ashore in support of crisis response at the desired time and location to perform a wide range of military operations in the Indo-Pacific region. During Talisman Sabre, the 31st MEU is supporting 3rd Marine Division as Combined Task Force 79, integrated with Sailors of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group under Expeditionary Strike Group 7 as Combined Task Force 76.

“The Marine Corps and Navy relationship is inherent to amphibious operations, and during a large forcible entry it becomes much more deliberate and focused to accomplish that objective,” said Maj. Mike Mroszczak, 31st MEU operations officer. “The fact that U.S. Marines, the Australian Army and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducted an amphibious combined joint forcible entry into the same objective area here during Talisman Sabre cannot be understated. Alongside the landing force, the U.S. Navy simultaneously tied-in with the Royal Australian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to make this large scale amphibious operation happen.”

After completing simulated actions on objectives, the combined force rapidly withdrew from the beach landing site, returning to amphibious shipping in preparation for the next potential mission.

Talisman Sabre is designed to improve partner nation combat readiness and interoperability through realistic, relevant training, enhancing the ability and proficiency to respond to crisis as part of a combined effort while maintaining regional security, peace and stability.