QUEENSLAND, Australia - Under the cover of darkness, more than 350 U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to the 11th Airborne Division landed in the training area near north-eastern Australia, in the early hours of July 14, 2025.
The operation, conducted in the vicinity of Queensland, Australia, was the culmination of months of planning and coordination across joint and multinational militaries. The paratroopers, part of Task Force 3 Geronimo, departed Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and executed a joint forceable entry operation, demonstrating the capability to deploy combat-ready forces globally on short notice.
“The fact that we can fly halfway around the world, we were getting real time updates from our joint combined teammates on the effects they are delivering prior to us arriving,” said Col. Brian Weightman, commander of 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne). “So that me, and my paratroopers arrive on the ground, we know exactly what’s going on and the conditions have been set so we can handle anything with unstoppable momentum.”
The jump marked the first major event of Talisman Sabre 25, a biennial exercise designed to enhance interoperability among U.S., Australian, and partner forces across the Indo-Pacific. This year’s exercise features integrated operations with French and German forces, who are operating side-by-side with 11th Airborne Division elements.
Four U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft along with one from the Royal Australian Air Force enabled the transoceanic mission transporting critical equipment including, mobile tactical command posts, sustainment packages, and other mobility platforms. During the flight, the airborne commander received real-time intelligence updates from various locations across the region, all coordinated by the Combined Joint Task Force as the aircraft crossed the International Date Line.
A key component of the mission was the in-flight rigging of personnel and equipment, a procedure that allows the airborne commander options to plan for and execute contingencies, should mission parameters shift during transit.
“In-flight rigging allows us to maximize aircraft capacity and reduce ground staging requirements,” said Lt. Col. Cody Grimm, commander of 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment. “It also requires detailed planning and deliberate execution in a dynamic environment.”
Grimm noted that being the only Arctic-capable airborne division forward-based in the Indo-Pacific allows the 11th Airborne to respond rapidly at scale and reinforces readiness in the region.
“We’ve worked closely with our French and German counterparts, not just through planning, but through shared experiences like our recent Hail and Farewell event,” Grimm added. “We’re building trust and relationships that go beyond the tactical.”
Fueling, communications and airspace deconfliction, required the joint and multinational coordination behind the CJFEO to be precise. Liaison officers and distributed mission planning systems ensured that partner forces were fully embedded in the operation.
The mission bore similarities to last year’s Arctic Aloha operation, in which the 2nd IBCT (Airborne) demonstrated long-range deployment and joint integration across cold-weather and Pacific environments. Those lessons were applied directly to the Australian operation, with new emphasis placed on in-flight nutrition, hydration, and sleep cycles to maintain combat effectiveness upon arrival.
“Even with a flight time of over 18 hours, our Paratroopers hit the ground ready,” said Grimm. “That comes from experience and preparation. We’ve learned how to train and fight across time zones and climates, and it shows.”
Upon landing, airborne forces quickly consolidated and secured objectives on the ground, clearing the way for follow-on operations as part of the broader exercise scenario. The equipment drops were critical in establishing early sustainment and fire support capabilities.
Talisman Sabre 25 is more than a training exercise; it is a visible demonstration of international cooperation and shared commitment to regional security. With partner formations embedded at the platoon and company level, the 11th Airborne Division is taking deliberate steps to build interoperability at the ground level.
“We’re treating our French platoon and German company just like any of our own rifle units,” Grimm said. “There are language and doctrinal differences, but we’re working through them together. These kinds of experiences create lasting bonds and operational trust.”
The paratroopers of Task Force 3 Geronimo will remain in Australia for approximately two weeks, during which they will conduct a series of training exercises leading up to a second jump at Queensland. The missions are designed to stress logistics, command and control, and multinational integration across a range of scenarios.
As the 11th Airborne Division continues to refine its rapid-deployment and Arctic to Indo-Pacific operational model, exercises like Talisman Sabre remain a cornerstone for validating capabilities and deterring aggression through presence and partnership.
Grimm also stated Talisman Sabre is proof of the division’s ability to deliver combat forces globally, from the Arctic to austere environments like central Australia, as part of a joint and multinational effort.
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