Back home from Australia

After more than three weeks on the fifth continent, the approximately 200 Bundeswehr soldiers who participated in the multinational exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 in Australia have returned to Germany. Alongside medical personnel, military police, logistics forces, and members of the Air Force, the Army made the most significant contribution to the exercise with approximately 150 infantrymen from the 26th Parachute Regiment.

Because the Australian training area places special demands on everyone involved, the exercise began with an intensive on-site training phase for the soldiers from Zweibrücken. The vast distances, unfamiliar vegetation and climate are significantly different from the conditions in Germany. To acclimatize to these conditions, the paratroopers trained at a jungle combat training center and practiced in the Australian bush.

The German soldiers were able to put these experiences into practice during combat exercises: After a 40-kilometer march on foot through extremely difficult terrain, they successfully attacked together with the 11th Airborne Division of the US armed forces. Afterward, French, US and German paratroopers were to jointly capture an airfield, thus enabling the landing of military aircraft, such as the German A400M.

But even during an exercise, not everything went smoothly: only a portion of the paratroopers were able to be parachuted over the target area. The military leaders on the ground had to completely re-plan with the reduced force. With flexibility, creativity and determination, the soldiers of the three nations repositioned themselves, captured the airfield and thus enabled the arrival of reinforcements and urgently needed supplies. With additional forces brought in, they were able to fight their way to another key area.

In both combat exercises, the German paratroopers impressed not only the Australian referees but also the members of the allied armed forces with their professionalism, efficiency and assertiveness.

Additional paratroopers from Zweibrücken participated in Talisman Sabre: Two teams coordinated the deployment of US, French and Korean fire support with mortars on the ground, helicopters and aircraft from the air and warships at sea. The experience gained here, especially in a multinational environment, promotes interoperability with the armed forces of allied nations.

Of particular importance for the German Army was the participation of members of 413rd Infantry Battalion, who accompanied the exercise of the Australian 14th Light Horse Regiment. This Australian regiment is equipped with the combat vehicle Boxer, which it uses as a reconnaissance vehicle, a similar model that will be introduced into the Army in the future. The German soldiers took the opportunity to learn about the Australians' operational principles and experiences for the upcoming training of the Infantry troops and their implementation in Germany.

Soldiers from the 26th Parachute Regiment's airborne transloading forces and the crew of the Air Force's A400M transport aircraft also gained valuable experience transporting a US Army HIMARS. This demonstrated interoperability with allies in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly with regard to the Bundeswehr's strategic airlift capability for the rapid deployment of personnel and materiel.

Talisman Sabre is one of the world's largest multinational military exercises, held every two years. A total of around 35,000 members of the armed forces from 19 nations participated in 2025. With its renewed participation, Germany demonstrated that it is a reliable partner for peace and stability, even outside of Europe.

The soldiers on site were able to gain valuable experiences in a multinational environment. This experience will be incorporated into future training and sustainably strengthen interoperability with other nations.