Papua New Guinea (PNG) has for the first time hosted complex training activities within Exercise Talisman Sabre, the biggest Australia-US bilaterally planned multilateral exercise which this year involved more than 40,000 military personnel from 19 nations.
Talisman Sabre 25, from July 13 to August 4, represented the deepening integration between the PNG Defence Force and Australian Defence Force, adding to the existing array of joint and multilateral exercises both nations share as PNG celebrates its 50th year of independence.
One of many personnel on the ground in Far North Queensland, PNGDF soldier Corporal Sam Alphonse emphasised the importance of deepening military ties for regional security and the strength in our defence partnership.
"It is important for the ADF and PNGDF to work together," Corporal Alphonse said.
"Our relationship goes back to World War 2, where our forefathers fought alongside the ADF."
As a section commander, Corporal Alphonse led his team on a range of security tasks alongside Australian Army soldiers and other nations in and around Townsville during the exercise.
"We're mainly going out into the city and providing security around the area or practising cordon and search tasks," he said.
"We have really enjoyed having members of the PNGDF as part of our platoon and working together every day."
'What I have learnt here I will take back to PNG to assist with building up the capability of the PNGDF.'
During Talisman Sabre 2025, Captain Roy Jasaking supported the Combat Training Centre to coach and educate ADF and PNGDF sappers on the ground.
"It is great exposure for me as a PNGDF officer and what I have learnt here I will take back to PNG to assist with building up the capability of the PNGDF in terms of combat engineering," Captain Jasaking said.
"I am very proud to be a part of this team and support the planning and execution of all the engineering tasks. It is a big honour for me."
Captain Jasaking will now return to the School of Military Engineering to instruct on the next Combat Engineer officer course.
While PNGDF and Australian soldiers were working together in Australia, PNG, Australian and United States personnel were also deployed to PNG, taking multinational cooperation and interoperability to the next level, and completing the final phase of the exercise.
During the deployment to PNG, participating forces conducted complex training, including a Joint Personnel Recovery activity as well as air, land, and maritime manoeuvres in Wewak and Lae.
This activity is a tangible demonstration of PNG's growing capabilities and the strengthening of our close defence partnership, in addition to the hundreds of ADF and PNGDF personnel that continue to train, exercise and operate alongside one another every year.
