Exercise Talisman Sabre 17 has recently concluded in Australia, this is a biennial exercise involving Australia and the United States and has participation from New Zealand.
The majority of the exercise took place in the Shoalwater Bay Training area near Rockhampton in central Queensland.
The focus on the following images are USN, USAF & RAAF movements from RAAF Amberley & Brisbane International Airport.
During the exercise aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 5 (CVW5) from the USS Ronald Reagan operated from Amberley, along with VAQ-132 Scorpions from NAS Whidbey Island.
This was alongside the resident units of No 1 Squadron, No 36 Squadron & No 33 Squadron.
At the conclusion of the exercise the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76) and the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD6), arrived into Brisbane for a port visit.
There a quite a few images here to give a decent overview of the activity.
So if you make it to the end thanks for looking, I hope there is something different that is of interest.
RAAF Amberley
1. F/A-18F Super Hornet 1 Squadron
TS00000024 by Richard E, on Flickr
2.2. KC-30A 33 Squadron
TS00000022 by Richard E, on Flickr
3. C-17A 36 Squadron
TS00000027 by Richard E, on Flickr
4. Learjet 45
TS00000023 by Richard E, on Flickr
5. F/A-18G VAQ-132 Scorpions
TS00000014 by Richard E, on Flickr
6. F/A-18G VAQ-132 Scorpions
TS00000006 by Richard E, on Flickr
7. F/A-18F VFA-102, F/A-18E VFA-27, VFA-115, VFA-195
TS00000010 by Richard E, on Flickr
8. MH-60R HSM77 Sabrehawks
TS00000009 by Richard E, on Flickr
9. F/A-18E VFA-195 Dambusters
TS00000016 by Richard E, on Flickr
10.MV-22B VMM 265 Dragons
TS00000017 by Richard E, on Flickr
The most exciting movement for me was the diversion of 2 AV-8B Harrier from VMA 311 off the USS Bonhomme Richard, this is the first time I have seen Harriers in the air or this close.
11. AV-8B VMA 311Tomcats
TS00000008 by Richard E, on Flickr
12. AV-8B VMA-311 Tomcats
TS00000003 by Richard E, on Flickr
13. F/A-18G VAQ-132
TS00000021 by Richard E, on Flickr
14. C-2A Greyhound VRC-30
TS00000020 by Richard E, on Flickr
15. F/A-18F VFA-102 Diamondbacks
TS00000005 by Richard E, on Flickr
Brisbane International Airport
16. C40B
TS00000013 by Richard E, on Flickr
17. KC-10 9th Air Refuelling Squadron
TS00000011 by Richard E, on Flickr
18. RNZAF 757 40 Squadron
TS00000012 by Richard E, on Flickr
19. C-2A Greyhound
TS00000019 by Richard E, on Flickr
20. KC-10
TS00000007 by Richard E, on Flickr
Port Visit
USS Ronald Reagan CVN76
21.
TS00000018 by Richard E, on Flickr
22. Some colour from HSM 12
TS00000002 by Richard E, on Flickr
23.
TS00000028 by Richard E, on Flickr
24.
TS00000004 by Richard E, on Flickr
25.
TS00000026 by Richard E, on Flickr
USS Bonhomme Richard LHD6
26.
BHR8 by Richard E, on Flickr
27.
USS BHR2 by Richard E, on Flickr
28.
USS BHR1 by Richard E, on Flickr
Exercise Talisman Sabre - Australia
Re: Exercise Talisman Sabre - Australia
Great shots.
Wished there was an exercise like that when I was there.
Wished there was an exercise like that when I was there.
Re: Exercise Talisman Sabre - Australia
Great pictures. Nice to see things from the other end of the world.
I do like the long exposure photographs of the aircraft carrier.
I do like the long exposure photographs of the aircraft carrier.
Re: Exercise Talisman Sabre - Australia
Great shots, thanks for sharing.
Nice to see the Harrier in the air
Nice to see the Harrier in the air
Re: Exercise Talisman Sabre - Australia
Thanks for the comments, we don't get a huge variety here regularly so was good to see something different for a few weeks.