Photo By Sgt. Perla Alfaro | NORTHERN TERRITORY, Australia — The 3d Multi-Domain Task Force deploys the Long...... read more read more
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NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA – The 3d Multi-Domain Task Force (3d MDTF) made history during Talisman Sabre 25 (TS25), achieving several notable firsts that showcased the U.S. Army’s cutting-edge capabilities and commitment to combined joint interoperability with Australia. The biennial exercise, held across Australia and the Indo-Pacific region, brought together over 40,000 U.S., Australian and partner nation forces to enhance readiness, strengthen alliances and demonstrate advanced warfighting capabilities.
One of the most groundbreaking achievements during Talisman Sabre 25 was the first employment of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), 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 U.S. Army’s commitment to maintaining a competitive edge in the Indo-Pacific theater and its ability to project power.
Capt. Jennifer Lee, commander of Bravo Battery (Dark Eagle), 5-3 Field Artillery Regiment, reflected:
“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. 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 3d MDTF employed the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) system in the Northern Territory of Australia during a successful land-based maritime strike live-fire exercise (LFX) using a Standard Missile-6 (SM-6). The MRC, designed to bridge the gap between short-range and long-range fires, and capable of firing both the SM-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, provides commanders with 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. Interoperability, commitment to the profession and combat credible operators led us to shoot the first SM-6 launched by the Army west of the International Date Line and sink a maritime target,” said Capt. Geoffrey Miller, MRC battery commander.
He continued, “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 conjunction with a Royal Australian Air Force P-8, which provided maritime domain awareness, showcasing 3d 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, 3d MDTF partnered with the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade and 2nd (Australian) Division, and the U.S. 1-3 Field Artillery Regiment to execute the first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Insertion (HIRAIN) to Christmas Island. This complex operation involved deploying HIMARS by 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 strategically significant locations.
While much of the focus during the exercise was on validating the long-range precision strike capability of the task force, in the background, the silent professionals of the 3d MDTF Space Company were working tirelessly with joint and combined partners to layer space control into both live and constructive kinetic fire missions. From multiple locations across Australia, space crews integrated their capabilities to fully synchronize multi-domain effects.
The importance of layering effects was emphasized by Maj. Tony Fernandez, company commander of the 3d MDTF Space Company:
“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. 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 3d MDTF and the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade. Together, the two units continued to develop the Land Effects Coordination Center (LECC), a groundbreaking multi-domain command and control structure that synchronized all 3d 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 3d MDTF is vital as we are stronger together and we provide like minds in the application of our firepower,” said Brigadier Nick Wilson, commander of 10th Brigade.
“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.
Col. Wade Germann, commander of the 3d MDTF, underscored the significance of these achievements saying, “Talisman Sabre 25 has been a tremendous opportunity to exercise the capabilities of the 3d Multi-Domain Task Force and our ability to operate alongside our Australian allies. 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 3d MDTF and its Australian counterparts reflected on the lessons learned and the enduring bonds forged during the exercise. The historic achievements of 3d MDTF not only showcased the Army’s advanced capabilities, but also reinforced the importance of combined joint operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Col. Germann emphasized the value of the U.S.-Australian Army partnership:
“Our relationship continues to get stronger through the training and testing of our systems and processes. 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.
(Story by Maj. Stephen Page)
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2025 15:09 |
| Story ID: | 544871 |
| Location: | NORTHERN TERRITORY, AU |
| Web Views: | 106 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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