TIMOR SEA (NNS) -- Sailors from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) began their portion of Talisman Sabre 2015 off the north coast of Australia, July 7.

Exercise Talisman Sabre is a biennial training activity aimed at improving Australian and U.S. combat readiness and interoperability.

"Talisman Sabre provides a realistic and challenging environment that improves both nations' ability to work bilaterally," said Rear Adm. John Alexander, commander of GWCSG. "It also helps to prepare U.S. and Australian service members to work together to provide security in the region and around the world."

The GWCSG will join the more than 33,000 U.S. and Australian personnel, 21 ships, more than 200 aircraft, and three submarines, in this sixth iteration of the exercise. The strike group will focus on joint training alongside the Royal Australian Navy and Air Force by conducting sea and air training throughout multiple areas in and around Australia.

"This exercise illustrates the closeness of the Australia-U.S. alliance and the strength of our military-to-military relationship." said Alexander. "It provides an invaluable opportunity to conduct operations in a joint environment that will increase all participants' ability to plan, coordinate and execute complex operations."

Participants from the GWCSG include the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and Destroyer Squadron 15, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Chafee (DDG 90), USS Mustin (DDG 89) and USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62).