HMCS Ville de Québec wraps up multinational exercise off Australia
By Trident Staff
His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Ville de Québec has concluded its participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre 25, wrapping up a dynamic stretch of operations that saw the frigate work closely with allies across multiple domains in and around Australia.
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) says the Halifax-class frigate played an important role in the multinational exercise, which ran from July 13 to August 4 and marked Canada’s most significant military deployment to the Indo-Pacific since the launch of Operation Horizon. Hosted by Australia and involving more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, Exercise Talisman Sabre was an opportunity joint training across land, sea, air, and cyber theares.
For Ville de Québec, one of the exercise highlights came in the form of a forward rearmament of Block II Harpoon missiles conducted in Darwin, Australia, a complex operation carried out in close cooperation with the Australian Defence Force (ADF). This marks only the second time a Canadian warship has been rearmed outside of North America, and officials say the evolution is another step toward increased agility and sustainability for RCN deployments in the region.
“Working with the team from the Australian Defence Force to further develop this forward capability for the Royal Canadian Navy has been a great experience for our entire crew,” said Commander Peter MacNeil, commanding officer of Ville de Québec.
The ship was rearmed twice during the exercise, first with an inert training variant of the missile ahead of a successful live-fire shoot, and later with an operational version following the launch. The RCN says the Harpoon Block II is a precision-guided missile capable of engaging both sea and land targets, making it a versatile tool for modern naval warfare.
In addition to the missile shoot and rearmament, Ville de Québec spent the exercise period operating with allies including the United Kingdom-led Carrier Strike Group (UK CSG) and the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group. The ship’s participation also served broader Canadian objectives under its ongoing Operation Horizon deployment. Operation Horizon is the CAF’s ongoing regional mission aimed at enhancing stability, building partnerships, and reinforcing Canada’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Canada’s wider contribution to Talisman Sabre 25 included approximately 600 personnel from across the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), including the Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Army, special operations, cyber and space commands. The exercise is being touted as a showcase of the CAF’s ability to conduct joint, integrated operations with key international partners.
Canada is a regular participant in Talisman Sabre. The 2025 iteration of the biennial exercise was the largest and most complex to date, and the first to include activities in Papua New Guinea in addition to Australia.
With the exercise now complete, Ville de Québec continues its Indo-Pacific deployment alongside the UK CSG under Operation Horizon. The ship has already sailed more than 25,000 nautical miles since leaving Halifax in April, with more to come before its expected return home in late fall.
