For the first time, the U.S. Coast Guard has dispatched 100 members of its “deployable specialized forces” to Australia to participate in the large-scale Talisman Sabre exercise. These special teams are receiving training to safeguard sea lanes and ports as part of a two-week exercise on Australia’s eastern coast, involving 30,000 troops mainly from the U.S. and Australia, and other partner nations.
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Key Points:Â
- The U.S. Coast Guard’s “deployable specialized forces” have been dispatched to Australia for the first time to participate in the Talisman Sabre exercise, a large-scale military drill involving over 30,000 troops.
- The teams are specializing in high-risk law enforcement, anti-terrorism, and naval warfare activities, with the deployment seen as an effort by the Coast Guard to align more closely with other U.S. service branches.
- A part of the Coast Guard’s mission during the Talisman Sabre is to provide security in Bowen for soldiers and sailors moving fuel, water, vehicles, and other equipment from sea to local beaches.
- In Gladstone, some Coast Guard members are working alongside Australian soldiers to provide security for naval forces from both nations involved in offshore mine-hunting activities.
- In response to China’s growing coast guard fleet, Capt. Matt Michaelis, deputy chief of operations for the Coast Guard Pacific Area, noted the role of coast guards in enforcing international norms, implying a critical stance towards China’s maritime activities.
