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Australia fires its first US-made Himars rocket system in military exercise

It fired the rocket system during its joint live-fire exercise involving the US, Singapore, Japan, France and South Korea

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Himars rockets are fired by Australian, US and Singapore defence forces as part of the Talisman Sabre joint war fighting exercise. Up to 40,000 troops from 19 nations are taking part in the exercise. Photo: Reuters
Reuters
Australia’s army fired a truck-mounted long-range rocket system that has become a priority for US allies in the Indo-Pacific for the first time on Monday, alongside US and Singapore forces firing the same system in joint military exercises.
Armoured trucks with High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars) that can reach 400km (250 miles) are in high demand in the Ukraine conflict and are also being acquired by US allies in the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, which is reshaping its forces to respond to China’s military build-up.

On the first day of Australia’s largest military exercise Talisman Sabre, the US, Australia, Japan, France, South Korea and Singapore held a live-fire exercise in northern Queensland involving US F-35B fighter jets and land-based long-range strike rockets and missiles.

Up to 40,000 troops from 19 nations are taking part in Talisman Sabre, across thousands of kilometres from Australia’s Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on Australia’s east coast.

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is fired for the first time in front of members of the public as part of the Talisman Sabre joint military exercise in Australia on Monday. Photo: EPA
The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is fired for the first time in front of members of the public as part of the Talisman Sabre joint military exercise in Australia on Monday. Photo: EPA
Australian Army Brigadier Nick Wilson, director general of the combined live-fire exercise, said it was the first time Australia, Singapore and the United States had fired Himars together, and the first firing by Australia on home soil.
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