28,000 US and Australian troops participate in the Talisman Sabre exercise.

On July 15, more than 28,000 US and Australian naval, land, and air force personnel commenced a joint military exercise, "Talisman Sabre 2013," in northern Australia, which will last until August 6.

"Talisman Sabre" is a biennial exercise between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Joint Operations Command and the U.S. Pacific Command to train U.S. Seventh Fleet and personnel from Australian joint operations commands.

Australian soldiers participate in a Talisman Sabre exercise. (Source: wikimedia.org)

Major General Bob Brown, spokesman for "Talisman Sabre 2013," said the scenario for this exercise was a peacekeeping mission, with conditions under which the task force would hand over to a United Nations peacekeeping force.

The exercises will take place within military training areas in central and southeastern Queensland, the Northern Territory, and the Coral Sea, Timor Sea, and Arafura Sea regions, with a primary focus on the Shoalwater Bay training area and Rockhampton base.

According to General Brown, the "Talisman Sabre 2013" exercise was also aimed at strengthening the US-Australia alliance as well as bilateral military relations.

Of the more than 28,000 troops participating in the exercise, over 21,000 were US soldiers and 7,000 were ADF personnel.

In addition, several Australian government agencies also participated in "Talisman Sabre 2013," including the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), and the Australian Civilian-Military Centre.

According to (Vietnam+) - DT