Australia hosts largest-ever military exercise with 19 nations, may draw Chinese attention

THE largest-ever war-fight-ing drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are underway and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships.

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Australia launched missiles from its M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS, on Monday during live-fire exercises at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, a 4,500 square kilo-metre Outback expanse in Queensland state. The HIMARS launchers were recently bought from the United States.

"Today was the first time the Australian Army has live-fired our long-range, multi-domain platforms being the HIMARS, so it is a remarkable day," Brig. Nick Wilson told reporters.

Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint exercise between the United States and Australia.