The 2025 Talisman Sabre multinational military exercise, which has lasted several weeks, is now approaching its conclusion.
Unlike in previous years, parts of this year’s exercise are being conducted outside of Australia for the first time—specifically in Papua New Guinea, with key activities taking place in Wewak and Lae.
Analysts believe this marks a clear signal of deeper U.S.-Australia military penetration into the Pacific Island nations, and reflects a shift in the role Papua New Guinea is playing in the region’s security landscape.
The exercise is scheduled to officially conclude on August 4, 2025, with a final joint personnel recovery drill.
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF), the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and the United States Armed Forces jointly simulated the response to a plane crash.
According to the scenario, a multinational tactical command center coordinated the dispatch of joint teams to the crash site to conduct search and personnel recovery operations.
The mission gradually incorporated multiple coordinated platforms, including PNG’s Guardian-class patrol boat, a PNG Air Transport Wing PAC750 aircraft, an Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan transport aircraft, and the U.S. Navy’s expeditionary mobile base ship USS Miguel Keith, which carries helicopters and support boats. Through highly integrated force deployment and operational coordination, the exercise demonstrated the three countries’ military interoperability and joint response capabilities.
“Interoperability means operating as one,” said exercise director Brigadier General Damian Hill of the Australian Army during an interview. “We are becoming stronger. I believe this exercise has deepened the relationship between Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the United States.”
He added, “This activity was designed to allow participants to work together in a simulated real battlefield environment to complete a personnel recovery mission.”
The PNG Chinese Times notes that this round of exercises is not only a demonstration of tactical cooperation, but also sends strong signals at the political and security levels. The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence, and the trilateral exercise at this critical juncture is clearly symbolic. The scenarios suggest that PNG’s military is rapidly enhancing its operational capabilities and becoming more integrated into the Pacific security architecture.
It is reported that the closing ceremony of “Talisman Sabre 2025” will be held on August 4 in Lae.
The organizers claim that the joint operations help improve regional rapid response and humanitarian assistance capabilities. However, regional observers warn that the U.S. and Australia’s use of such exercises to strengthen military ties with Pacific Island nations could prompt a reassessment of the regional military balance.
