One of the most groundbreaking achievements during Talisman Sabre 25 was the first employment of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, or “Dark Eagle”, outside of the continental United States. The LRHW was integrated into constructive mission threads throughout the exercise, which validated the system’s over-the-horizon, long-range communication capabilities. This milestone underscores the Army’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge in the Indo-Pacific theater and the ability to project power.

“The employment of the Dark Eagle capability during the exercise underscores our commitment to strengthening alliances and enhancing interoperability with our partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Capt. Jennifer Lee, commander of Bravo Battery (Dark Eagle), 5-3 Field Artillery Regiment. “TS25 provided an invaluable opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon system and validate our readiness and ability to defend our allies and partners. The Dark Eagle is truly ready to go.”

In another historic first, the 3rd MDTF employed the Mid-Range Capability system in the Northern Territory of Australia during a successful land-based maritime strike live-fire exercise using a Standard Missile-6. The MRC is designed to bridge the gap between short-range and long-range fires, capable of firing both the SM-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, offering commanders a versatile tool to engage targets at operationally relevant ranges.

“When given the historic order to employ this system to the unforgiving Australian Northern Territory for a maritime strike mission, Soldiers and leaders knew there would be hurdles never before encountered and ultimately several lessons learned to get the MRC system to mission success,” said Capt. Geoffrey Miller, MRC battery commander. “I could not be prouder of what my Soldiers accomplished out here. The LFX validated the value of credible, effective training and the hard work they completed over the last several months.”

The TS25 MRC LFX was the inaugural land-based SM-6 live fire west of the International Date Line and demonstrated the system’s ability to operate from austere environments and engage maritime targets. During the LFX, Marine Rotational Force 25.3, Marine Air Ground Task Force deconflicted and cleared airspace surrounding the live-fire area in coordination with a Royal Australian Air Force P-8, which provided maritime domain awareness, showcasing 3rd MDTF’s ability to integrate joint capabilities to achieve multi-domain effects.

Following the MRC LFX, in a display of combined joint force projection capability, 3rd MDTF partnered with the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade, the 2nd (Australian) Division and the U.S. 1-3 Field Artillery Regiment to execute the first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Insertion to Christmas Island. This complex operation involved deploying HIMARS by the Canadian strategic airlift to one of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories, demonstrating the ability to rapidly respond with precision land-based fires in remote environments. The successful insertion demonstrated the combined joint force’s ability to project combat power to strategic locations.

While much of the focus during the exercise was on validating the long-range precision strike capability of the task force, the silent professionals of the 3rd MDTF Space Company were working tirelessly with joint and combined partners to layer space control into live and constructive kinetic fire missions. From multiple locations across Australia, space crews integrated their capabilities to synchronize multi-domain effects.

Maj. Tony Fernandez, company commander of the 3d MDTF Space Company, emphasized the importance of layering effects.:

“Talisman Sabre 25 has been an outstanding opportunity for our Space Crews to not only get reps-and-sets on conducting Space Control but also synchronize non-kinetic effects in concert with joint and combined force operations,” Fernandez said. “We have successfully been able to execute multiple ‘“first-time achievements’” through interoperability operations with our Allies and partners. Additionally, this exercise has given us the ability to test and work through innovations in our field that will directly impact the way the Task Force conducts space operations in the future.”

The connective tissue behind all these activities was the combined interoperability between the 3rd MDTF and the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade. Together, the units continued to develop the Land Effects Coordination Center, a groundbreaking multi-domain command and control structure that synchronized all 3rd MDTF and 10th Brigade operations during the exercise. The LECC served as a hub for integrating multi-domain effects, ensuring seamless coordination between U.S. and Australian forces.

“Working with 3rd MDTF is vital as we are stronger together and we provide like minds in the application of our firepower,” said Brigadier Nick Wilson, 10th Brigade commander. “The LECC, since its first iteration during Project Convergence–Capstone 5, continues to develop as a concept, and we are closer every day to our systems working harmoniously together in the coordination of combined fires and effects.”

In addition to the LECC, multi-domain effects coordination was enabled by Project OPEROSE, the Australian Defence Force and U.S. military operational test and evaluation of a combined command-and-control node for theater-level precision long-range fires.

“Talisman Sabre 25 has been a tremendous opportunity to exercise the capabilities of the 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force and our ability to operate alongside our Australian Allies,” said Col. Wade Germann, 3rd MDTF commander. “The training we have achieved here, from hypersonic weapons to maritime strike capability, are a testament to the innovation and dedication of our Soldiers and the strength of our partnership.”

As Talisman Sabre 25 concluded, the 3rd MDTF and its Australian counterparts reflected on the lessons learned and the enduring bonds forged during the exercise. The historic achievements of 3rd MDTF showcased the Army’s advanced capabilities and reinforced the importance of combined joint operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Our relationship continues to get stronger through the training and testing of our systems and processes,” Germann said. “We are continuously improving the speed and efficiency with which we operate to ensure when our countries call on us, we are ready to execute together in time of need."

Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key Allies and partners, while enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns. The 2025 iteration marks the 11th time the exercise has been held.