The HIMARS, purchased from the United States, were launched during five coordinated live-fire exercises. This event marks the first time Australia, Singapore, and the US have jointly fired HIMARS, and the first instance of Australia doing so on its own soil.
“Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day,” said Australian Army Brigadier Nick Wilson, who serves as director general of the combined live-fire exercise. “HIMARS will be utilised in conjunction with a number of other weapon platforms…to ensure we have a strategy of denial for security, peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
The drills are part of the biennial ‘Talisman Sabre’ exercises, which have drawn participation from up to 40,000 troops representing 19 nations. Australia has committed $74 billion to missile investments over the next decade, including plans for domestic production.
Chinese surveillance ships are commonly present during such exercises off the Australian coast and were expected to be monitoring the current operations. However, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday that Chinese surveillance would not be discussed during his six-day visit to China.
Albanese’s tour includes a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, marking their fourth face-to-face meeting. The military drills began just one day after the prime minister departed for Beijing.
