Kathrine Frich
Australia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the test was a major milestone for Project OPEROSE.
Australia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the test was a major milestone for Project OPEROSE.
US Conducts Missile Test Amid Rising Global Tensions
The United States Army and allied forces carried out a rapid missile deployment and strike simulation on Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean.
The high-speed operation forms part of growing international military exercises as fears of a potential global conflict escalate.
Christmas Island: A Strategic Launchpad
On July 13, a Canadian Air Force transport aircraft delivered a US High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and a joint Australian military contingent to the remote island.
The mission marked a crucial component of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 and showed the island’s increasing strategic importance in Indo-Pacific security planning.
Fast Strike, Fast Exit: A New Combat Model
The HIMARS launcher and its support vehicles were flown into a forward airfield, driven to a simulated strike location, and swiftly extracted after the mission.
The operation concluded on July 27 with an airlift by a US C-17A Globemaster III, highlighting the US military’s focus on agility, precision, and rapid redeployment in contested zones.
Project OPEROSE: Testing Next-Gen Warfare
Australia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the test was a major milestone for Project OPEROSE, which aims to refine target acquisition, weapons logistics, and sustained guided-missile capability.
The project shows interoperability with allies and advanced mobility in remote and high-risk areas.
“We Can Strike Anywhere”: US Officer Sends a Message
Lieutenant Colonel Guelfi, who oversaw the operation, said the exercise proved the US and its allies could deliver “combat power anywhere, at any time.”
His statement appeared to double as a deterrent message aimed at adversaries such as Russia, China, and North Korea amid increasing global instability.
Russia Watches Closely as Drills Expand
The exercise came just as Russian defense spokesperson Captain Vasily Dandykin accused the West of ganging up on Russia.
His remarks followed a statement by US President Donald Trump expressing dissatisfaction with Vladimir Putin and suggesting sanctions could be reimposed if peace talks with Ukraine fail.
Not the First: Similar Drills in the Philippines and Alaska
Exercise Talisman Sabre followed a similar US-Philippines live-fire drill held in Cabanatuan on June 30.
Just months earlier, in September 2024, the US Army deployed forces to Shemya Island in Alaska’s Aleutian chain, practicing rapid delivery of HIMARS units in response to Russia’s massive naval drills across three oceans.
Russia’s Own Military Muscle on Display
Russia, for its part, has ramped up naval operations.
Earlier this month, Moscow released dramatic footage from the Black Sea showing a mix of naval drones, helicopters, ships, and aircraft.
Putin claimed the exercises were designed to prepare naval forces for “extremely challenging and unconventional” warfare scenarios.
Christmas Island’s Importance Reaffirmed
Royal Australian Navy Commodore Peter Leavy defended the use of Christmas Island, stating it’s “strategically positioned in the Indian Ocean.”
He stressed the need for the military to operate there to protect Australian citizens and national interests, signaling a longer-term role for the island in regional defense planning.
