The largest combined Australian and United States military training exercise, Talisman Sabre 2011 (TS11), concluded with a closing ceremony at Camp Rocky, Rockhampton on Thursday, 28 July.
Talisman Sabre is a biennial military exercise that trains Australian and U.S. forces to plan and conduct combined task force operations to improve combat readiness and interoperability on a variety of missions, from conventional conflict to peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance efforts.
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 featured 14,000 U.S. and 8,500 Australian personnel across six Defence training areas in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Maritime forces exercised in the Coral, Timor and Arafura Seas.
In addition to the 22,500 troops, Exercise Talisman Sabre 2011 involved an estimated 18 sea vessels, 25 aircraft and 1,500 road vehicles.
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Source: navy, August 3, 2011;