Modern Anzacs: Defence News

29 JULY 2025

SYDNEY HARBOUR: A window into the Special Operations Ship Underway Recovery exercise conducted in Sydney Harbour ahead of the official opening ceremony of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 has opened with additional imagery releases by US Navy Special Warfare Group and Royal Navy Marine contingents.

While billed as the opening act, the imagery of the Ship Underway Recovery exercise is dated July 8, five days before Talisman Sabre 2025 officially kicked off.

Either way, the Ship Underway Recovery exercise targeting the Sydney Harbour ferry Queenscliff involved elite Special Operations Forces from Special Operations Command - Australia (SOC-Aust), US Navy Naval Special Warfare (NSW) and the Royal Navy's elite Royal Marine Commandos and advanced helicopters from the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment conduct coordinated combined joint Special Warfare Exercises in a very public way.

Australian 2nd Commando Regiment operators underway in an NSWRHIB at speed after delivering assault team members to the target vessel during the Sydney Harbour Ship Underway Recovery exercise. Pic Royal Navy

Australian 2nd Commando Regiment operators mounted in NSWRHIB fast inflatables and US Naval Special Warfare operators mounted in Combatant Craft Assault fast boats take positions during the Ship Underway Recovery exercise conducted in Sydney Harbour. Pic DVIDS

Australian Commandos and US Navy SEALs boat mounted teams converge on the target vessel after initial assault teams fast roped onto the upper decks from US Army 160SOAR MH-60M Black Hawks during the SUR on July 13. Pic Royal Navy

The Australian Defence Force did not disclose the exact units involved in the July 8 Ship Underway Recovery exercise but presumably the Holsworthy Barracks Sydney based 2nd Commando Regiment (2Cdo) and likely including naval special warfare personnel from the Royal Australian Navy's Clearance Diving Teams participated.

A US Navy Naval Special Warfare element equipped with at least two Combatant Craft Assault fast attack boats also participated in the exercise, with at least one SEAL assault team involved.

The Royal Navy contributed a high risk boarding party from the elite 42 Commando with presumably some input from Royal Navy Special Boat Squadron as well.

Australian Commandos fast rope onto the upper decks of the underway target vessel from 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment MH-60M Black Hawks. Pic Royal Navy

A closer in image of Australian Commandos fast roping onto the deck of the target vessel while assaulters move rapidly to take control of the ship's control spaces. Pic Royal Navy

Air and boat delivered assault teams converge on the target vessel in a coordinated seizure designed to recover the vessel from multiple axis. Pic ADF

The US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment contributed two MH-60G Chinooks and two MH-60M Black Hawk helicopters which conducted an assault team insertion by fast rope onto the upper decks of the target vessel and MH-47G Chinooks which flew aerial fire support and casualty evacuation missions.

Dramatic Ship Underway Recovery exercises conducted in Sydney Harbour are probably the most publicly visible Special Operations Command - Australia activity and are conducted annually as part of 2nd Commando Regiment's Mars series exercise program.

Royal Marine Commandos armed with their new 5.56x45mm L143A2 rifles conduct a SUR seizure drill from an Australian NSWRHIB on the target vessel. Pic Royal Navy

A US Army 160SOAR MH-47G Chinook deploys a winch cable to recover a notional casualty from a US Naval Special Warfare Combatant Craft Assault during the Ship Underway Recovery exercise in Sydney Harbour. Pic DVIDS

Another view of the 160SOAR MH-47G Chinook conducting the casualty evacuation of a notionally wounded assaulter after the Ship Underway Recovery exercise in Sydney Harbour. Pic DVIDS

SHIP UNDERWAY RECOVERY SPEC WAR EX