TOWNSVILLE, Australia — U.S. Marines tested mobile anti-armor capabilities during the multinational Exercise Southern Jackaroo 2026, carrying out a live-fire BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile launch from a concealed position at the Townsville Field Training Area in Queensland on July 2, 2026.
The live-fire event involved Marines from Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, assigned to Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 26. The missile fired was the BGM-71 TOW (Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided) anti-tank missile, a combat-proven precision-guided weapon designed to engage armored vehicles, fortified positions, and other hardened targets.
Exercise Southern Jackaroo 2026, held from May 29 to July 3, 2026, brings together forces from the United States, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), and the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF). The exercise is focused on improving interoperability, combined arms integration, and coordination between allied militaries during joint operations.
During the exercise, Marines mounted the TOW missile launcher on an Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) to improve battlefield mobility. The vehicle operated from a concealed firing position using camouflage netting and natural vegetation to reduce its visual signature. Modern battlefields are increasingly monitored by drones, thermal sensors, and persistent surveillance systems, making concealment an important part of operational planning.
The JLTV-mounted TOW system provides Marines with a mobile "shoot-and-scoot" capability. Instead of remaining at a fixed firing location, the vehicle can move across difficult terrain, establish a firing position, engage targets at stand-off range, and relocate quickly before potential counterfire. This approach supports infantry units operating in dispersed formations where mobility, protection, and rapid movement are key requirements.
Southern Jackaroo 2026 includes a broad range of multinational training activities designed to improve cooperation between participating forces. U.S. Marines and Sailors from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and Combat Logistics Battalion 5 are training alongside the Australian Army's 3rd Brigade, as well as maneuver elements from the U.S. Army and the Japan Self-Defense Force.
Throughout the month-long exercise, participating units have conducted force-on-force offensive and defensive operations, mortar live-fire training, mounted machine-gun gunnery, and simulated nighttime air assault missions using U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The exercise concludes with a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFX), bringing together ground maneuver and supporting firepower in a coordinated training scenario.
The integration of the JLTV-mounted TOW system reflects the U.S. Marine Corps' emphasis on highly mobile and low-signature combat capabilities under operational concepts such as Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) and stand-in forces. These concepts focus on deploying small, agile units capable of operating in contested environments, supporting sea control, gathering battlefield information, and providing precision direct-fire support.
Northern Australia continues to serve as an important training location for multinational exercises in the Indo-Pacific. Through the rotational deployment of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 26, the United States maintains a regular military presence in the region while expanding cooperation with Australian and Japanese forces. By conducting complex live-fire training and combined operations from dispersed locations, the three countries continue to strengthen their ability to operate together across a range of military scenarios.
Source: dvidshub
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