Exercise Talon Shield, part of the broader Talisman Sabre, saw Offutt AFB’s RC-135 Rivet Joint taking part in the exercise in Australia for the first time.
Two developments last week marked the increasing military cooperation between the United States and Australia in the airborne electromagnetic spectrum. Offutt AFB, Nebraska, announced wrapping up Exercise Talon Shield, part of the bigger Talisman Sabre 2025, at RAAF Base Edinburgh on Aug. 6, 2025, which saw the RC-135V Rivet Joint electronic surveillance aircraft flying with Australian assets.
Offutt AFB said on its Instagram page this was the first time the aircraft was launched in support of the Talisman Sabre series of exercises. The base also referenced the broader British, U.S. and Australian efforts to integrate their electromagnetic support operations.
Roughly 200 USAF Airmen and over 55 tons of cargo from the 319th Reconnaissance Wing (Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota) and 552nd Air Control Wing (Tinker AFB, Oklahoma), arrived at RAAF Base Edinburgh on Jul. 2, 2025, in support of the Offutt detachment. At least one RC-135V was deployed.
#TalismanSabre25 is in full swing across a vast training ground 🇦🇺
With more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations involved, it’s all about teamwork & the RAF stand beside our Indo Pac allies ready to #FlyandFight. #StrongerTogether @AusAirForce @usairforce pic.twitter.com/dzccAa6XO3
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) July 17, 2025
Recently, the U.S. DSCA (Defense Security Cooperation Agency) also approved a Baseline 2 upgrade for the RAAF’s MC-55A Peregrine ISREW (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare) platform. Four Peregrine aircraft, based on the Gulfstream 550 aircraft, are being acquired under the Project Air 555 Phase 1, and at least two have been already outfitted by L3Harris.
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RC-135 at Talon Shield in Australia
One image, among others, shared by the RAF on Jul. 17 showed the RC-135 flying with an RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) F-35A in a post about the broader Talisman Sabre. The other pictures showed an RAF Voyager KC3 aerial refueler, U.S. Marine Corps and British F-35Bs, as well as Australian E/A-18G Growler, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and an RAAF E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft flying together.
The Royal Air Force also operates the Rivet Joint in the RC-135W variant, and UK MoD revealed in December 2021 that RAF and RAAF crews took part in a mission inside a RC-135V of the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB during exercise Resolute Hunter 22-1. Australian Defence Magazine quoted the UK MoD, who mentioned “this first ever mission also highlights the expanding manned ISR partnership between the three allied nations as the three services develop common insights and operational tactics.”
A statement from Defence Australia to ADM said RAAF aviators gained “invaluable exposure to coalition ISR Electronic Warfare (ISREW) capabilities.” The statement then went on to mention the P-8A Poseidon, MC-55A and MQ-4C Triton aircraft as a part of that effort in Australia.
The RC-135V/W aircraft specializes in signal intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic intelligence (ELINT), by gathering adversary radar and communications emissions, and disseminates them to friendly forces, enhancing situational awareness.
During Talon Shield, the RC-135V Rivet Joint, assigned to the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, performed six missions, according to Offutt AFB. In another video showing the RC-135V taxing for take-off, Offutt AFB said that the 55th Wing specializes in “contested, degraded, and denied battlespace.” The base also shared images of the Rivet Joint flying with the RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets and F-35A, while being refueled by an American KC-135 Stratotanker.
The USAF contingent demonstrated the Deployable Combat Wing and AFFORGEN models during the exercise. AFFORGEN is a “deliberate force presentation strategy designed to ensure mission-ready airmen are trained, equipped and deployable on demand.” DCW aims to “organize, generate, deploy, and operate forces under conditions of resource constraint and degraded communications.”
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The goal was to operate smaller, agile teams from distributed locations. “The teams will sharpen distributed ground and airborne command and control, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, to ensure the mission can continue in contested environments,” said a Jul. 1, 2025, press release from the 55th Wing.
The USAF also used RAAF equipment like “flightline” and “communication” and “cargo handling,” reducing their own footprint. For instance, images from Jul. 9, 2025 showed USAF’s 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron refueling an RC-135W with a hose from a refueling truck used by the RAAF.
Logistics and planning
The deployment to Australia was a massive planning, logistical and coordination undertaking nine months in the making, requiring synchronized military, diplomatic and industrial efforts. The 200 personnel included multiple specialties such as aircraft maintenance, operations, intelligence, communications, security forces, logistics and personnel support.
Two USAF C-17 Globemaster IIIs hauled 67 pieces of support equipment and 248 Mobility Readiness Spare Packages (MRSP), weighing over 55 tons and worth $12.9 million, to support the RC-135 Rivet Joint flights in Australia. These comprised aircraft support tools, communications infrastructure and sustainment supplies, tracked through tedious load plans, cargo and customs documentation.
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This required inter-theater and inter-command coordination, primarily between the U.S. Transportation Command, Pacific Air Forces, while liaising with RAAF officials for local boarding of American personnel, and in-country movement of USAF equipment. Another achievement was providing secure, cyber protected communications, voice and data connectivity to the RC-135V and USAF personnel in the coalition environment, according to 55th Wing’s Communications Group deputy chief Lt. Col. Joseph Hall.
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In the Jul. 15 release, the 55th Wing said that Grand Forks AFB’s 319th RW and Tinker AFB’s 552nd ACW delivered “advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, airborne command and control, or C2, and electromagnetic warfare capabilities.”
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MC-55A Peregrine upgrade
The $404 million Baseline 2 upgrade for the RAAF’s MC-55A includes aircraft equipment and services to support the Australian MC-55A aircraft fleet with major and minor modifications, spare parts, US government and contractor engineering, logistics support services, consumables and accessories as well as repair and return support, according to the DSCA notice.
We reported in Mar. 2025 about L3Harris officials saying at the Avalon Australian International Airshow that they expect deliveries to begin in late 2025, with the program already having overshot its timeline. Part of the reason is the regulatory certification requirements stemming from the modifications to the G550 airframe for ISREW role.
The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of “MC-55A Baseline 2 Upgrade and related equipment”.
The first of four MC-55A Peregrine ISR/EW jets is planned to be delivered to Australia later this year. This possible $404 million sale is likely for a planned upgrade. pic.twitter.com/RqnvfTEwCZ
— Bizjets of War (@bizjetsofwar) August 7, 2025
The RAAF plans to combine electromagnetic sensing and strike platforms like the Peregrine, F-35A Lightning II, E-7A Wedgetail, the E/A-18G Growler, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat and MQ-4C Triton. The RAAF in May also received its third and fourth Tritons at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory.
