Military Exercise Talisman Sabre on Norfolk Island

During the past week or so, the Australian military have been busy here on Norfolk Island as they took part of the Talisman Sabre which was held across Australia from Northern Australia to as far south as New South Wales, including Norfolk Island from 22 July – 4 August 2023.

There were reported to be twelve other nations involved from countries including Australia, United States, Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany. Attending as observing nations were, India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. These exercises included more than 30,000 military personnel from the Navy, Air Force, and the Army Armed Forces, and other specialist departments.

Here on Norfolk Island, we were informed that approximately 150 personnel including Australian and American military men and women, would be on island during the training activities, which were busy days here on Norfolk Island during the past week or so.

This was a once in a blue moon event, and the memorable activities were the parachute jump on Monday. This was at Cascade and zodiacs were in the bay to

retrieve the paratroopers from the sea. The United States Air Force aircrafts flew around for a few hours. I found I was in the wrong place and the wrong time to get photos of the parachute jump but did capture the plane landing from Mt Pitt and drove to Cascade Pier and photographed the zodiacs in the bay.

Tuesday night was a long night of endurance for the military personnel and the Norfolk Island community. A United States Airforce plane, a Lockheed Martin, AC130 Ghostrider departed Sydney around 7pm and returned about 11 hours late approximately 6am. This flight showed on the flight tracker and from 11pm to about 3am or 4am the pilot and crew flew in circles above Norfolk Island. The Flight Tracker App looked like a creative drawing of circles on top of circles. On the ground, the military exercise was based at the Norfolk Island International Airport, a practice in defending an airport.

I visited Pop’s corner at midnight and waited, expecting the plane to land, but learnt that it would not be landing, that would be another aircraft that were arriving a few hours later, I was told there were 3 or 4 planes in the air. They would be landing without runway lights using the Full Moon and electric guidance equipment. I was also told that a United States plane was delivering defence equipment for the training event. With work in the morning, I went home, but I am sure I heard the planes arrive during the night but woke a 6am to silence as all the night’s activities were finished.

Late on Wednesday afternoon, aircrafts returned to Norfolk Island to collect the military personnel and their equipment. The following night was quiet, and I am sure everyone had a good night’s sleep. It appears the training here on Norfolk Island was successful and I have heard there may be some fighter planes returning during the next week.

Here are a few of my photographs, but a couple shared by others who captured the parachute jump exercise

Betty Matthews

August 2023.