Exclusive: U.S and Australia demonstrate joint amphibious operation with Australian M1A2 tanks on U.S. landing craft.

The United States and Australian armed forces demonstrated advanced amphibious interoperability during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, held at the Port of Townsville in Queensland on 19 July 2025. In a major logistical operation showcasing joint capability, Australian Army soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment worked in coordination with United States Navy personnel and Australian defense industry contractors from Depth Defence Logistics to load M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tanks onto a United States Naval Landing Craft Utility vessel. The operation marked a key moment in the ongoing multinational exercise, which is the largest of its kind in the Indo-Pacific region this year.
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Australian Army soldiers from 2nd Cavalry Regiment and US Navy personnel load M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks onto a US Navy Landing Craft Utility during Exercise Talisman Sabre at Townsville Port, Queensland, on 19 July 2025. (Picture source: Australia MoD)

This collaborative effort highlighted the growing ability of both nations to execute high-stakes port-to-shore deployments involving heavy armor under realistic field conditions. The M1A2 SEPv3, currently the most advanced version of the Abrams family in operational service, weighs over 70 tons and requires precise coordination for amphibious loading. The tank crews, crane operators, and deck handlers synchronized their actions with clockwork precision, demonstrating that U.S. and Australian forces can rapidly project heavy armored capabilities across maritime platforms with minimal friction.

For the Australian Army, the operation was a test of its logistical agility and interoperability within the AUKUS framework, reinforcing its role in supporting allied force projection across the Pacific. For the United States, it served as a real-time validation of joint amphibious loading procedures involving Army and Navy elements under multinational command. The use of U.S. Runnymede-class landing craft, capable of transporting multiple main battle tanks in one sortie, emphasized the strategic importance of maritime logistics readiness in the Indo-Pacific theater.

The integration of main battle tanks such as the M1A2 SEPv3 into amphibious operations is a critical force multiplier, especially in scenarios involving contested beachheads or the need to establish a heavy armored presence in austere littoral environments. Tanks provide immediate firepower, shock action, and survivability that are essential in securing landing zones and enabling follow-on forces to establish a foothold. In potential combat environments characterized by anti-access threats and dense terrain, such as island chains or coastal urban zones, main battle tanks offer mobile protection and superior firepower against entrenched defenses and light mechanized threats.

The significance of such operations lies in the broader strategic context of the Indo-Pacific region, where rising tensions, particularly with the People’s Republic of China, have accelerated the need for credible and deployable deterrence. The ability to conduct large-scale, rapid amphibious operations signals to regional adversaries that the U.S. and its key allies possess not only the intent but also the practical capabilities to respond decisively to any attempted coercion or military aggression. This is particularly critical in potential flashpoints such as the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and critical sea lanes in Southeast Asia.

Exercise Talisman Sabre’s amphibious phase is tailored to prepare forces for high-intensity, multi-domain conflict scenarios including contested landings, logistics under fire, and coalition-based territorial defense. The emphasis on deploying armored assets such as the M1A2 SEPv3 also prepares allied forces for scenarios where massed ground force projection would be required to reclaim or defend territory. Beyond China, the exercise also prepares for broader security challenges including anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) strategies, hybrid threats, and regional instability driven by coercive actors.

With over 35,000 personnel from 19 countries participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, the Townsville amphibious phase is part of a wider scenario simulating multi-domain conflict operations. The successful integration of mechanized assets, sealift vessels, and logistics teams during this key event offers important insights for future contingency planning and joint operational deployments in the region. The demonstration at Townsville not only confirmed the effectiveness of joint procedures but also sent a clear signal of allied commitment to rapid, scalable response capability across the Indo-Pacific.