Navy and Marine Corps to Join 'Talisman Sabre' Exercise... Marado and Wang Geon to Deploy

Republic of Korea Navy to Lead Combined Amphibious Operations for the First Time
Participation in Talisman Sabre 2025 Exercise in Australia
Strengthening Combined Operational Capabilities and Military Cooperation

The Republic of Korea Navy and Marine Corps Talisman Sabre Training Task Group will participate in the '2025 Talisman Sabre' exercise, which will be held in Australia in July.

On June 18, the Navy and Marine Corps announced that the Talisman Sabre Training Task Group would depart from Jinhae Naval Base to take part in the 2025 Talisman Sabre exercise. This year's Talisman Sabre exercise is scheduled to take place from July 3 to 27 in the northeastern region of Australia.

Talisman Sabre, meaning 'a sword with mysterious power,' is a multinational combined exercise co-hosted biennially by the United States Indo-Pacific Command and the Australian Defence Force Joint Operations Command. The Republic of Korea Navy first participated in the exercise in 2021, and in 2023 both the Navy and Marine Corps joined together. This year marks their third participation in the exercise.

This year's exercise will involve about 30 vessels, approximately 70 aircraft, and around 30,000 personnel from 19 countries, including the host nations, the United States and Australia, as well as the United Kingdom, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. The participants will conduct combined maritime maneuver operations, combined amphibious operations, and both combined and independent live-fire exercises. The training task group consists of about 820 Navy and Marine Corps personnel, the ROK Navy’s large transport ship Marado (LPH, 14,500-ton class), the destroyer Wang Geon (DDH-II, 4,400-ton class), a Lynx maritime operations helicopter, a Landing Ship Fast (LSF), six Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles (KAAV), two K-9 self-propelled howitzers, two Marineon (MUH-1) amphibious maneuver helicopters, and a Cheonmu multiple rocket launcher. For the first time, around 20 Army Special Warfare Command personnel will also participate in the exercise.

This year, the Navy will serve for the first time as the commander of the combined amphibious operation training. The participating countries will be divided into two groups, with the Republic of Korea Navy acting as the commander of Group 1, conducting the exercise alongside the United States, Australia, and France. In addition, during the exercise period, the training task group will participate for the first time in combined space operations and special warfare training, thereby enhancing their combined operational capabilities through realistic training.

Colonel Cho Seongguk, commander of the Navy’s 53rd Amphibious Squadron and the exercise task group commander, stated, "Under the slogan 'For the Just Defense of Peace,' the Navy and Marine Corps will work as one team to strengthen combined operational capabilities and promote military cooperation and friendship among participating countries. We will fully demonstrate the operational capabilities we have honed so far to further elevate the status of the Republic of Korea Navy and Marine Corps."

Meanwhile, during the exercise period, the training task group plans to engage in a variety of military diplomacy activities, including courtesy visits to key officials, laying wreaths at the Korean War Memorial, and hosting a reception onboard for key officials and veterans from Korean War participant countries.