Vehicle I-D: Last Days of the Digger’s M113

Exercise Koolendong at Bradshaw Field Training Area, Northern Territory. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Sarah E. Taggett, 25AUG2021.

U.S. Marines walk along side a Digger-113. USMC photo by Corporal Lydia Gordon, 25AUG2021.

USMC photo by Cpl. Lydia Gordon, 25AUG2021.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Sarah E. Taggett, 25AUG2021:

U.S. Army photo by Private First Class Matthew Mackintosh, 30JUL2021.

USA photo by Private First Class Matthew Mackintosh, 30JUL2021.

USMC photo by First Lieutenant Isaac Lamberth, 29JUL2021.

Digger is a nickname for Australian soldier.

M113AS4 night fire, 24JUL2021. Australian Defence Forces photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

Wargame Talisman Saber (spelled Sabre in Australia) was first launched in 2005, it is held every two years, just missing the pandemic panic attack of 2020. However, this year’s wargames (July 2021) supposedly included CoViD-19 health considerations, according to the U.S. Department of Defense that means reduced number of personnel and a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

USMC photo by Corporal Michael Jefferson Estillomo, 23JUL2021.

Officially the wargame was started by Australia and United States as part of the undeclared War on Terrorism (U.S. Congress never declared war, they just authorized the President’s actions. A U.S. declaration of war is the same as declaring martial law domestically). International participants in the Talisman Saber wargames now include British Empire (Commonwealth of Nations) members Canada, New Zealand and United Kingdom, and East Asian-U.S. occupied Japan and South Korea. There were a couple of wargames where China deployed a Type 815G Dongdiao-class electronic surveillance ship to observe the goings-on.

USMC photo by Corporal Michael Jefferson Estillomo, 23JUL2021.

Since 1964 Australia has used the U.S. designed M113. Originally with the gasoline motor, later the diesel motor, most were license built in Australia. The Aussies have regularly upgraded their M113s, the latest in use is the Tenix M113AS4, in various versions like APC, Fitter, Logistics (a tracked pick-up truck). However, the most recent round of upgrades was delayed by several years (as much as six years), now there is talk of phasing-out the M113 with a true Infantry Fighting Vehicle, possibly by a German or Korean company.

You know you’re in Australia when it says “Caution, Left Hand Drive”. USMC photo by Corporal Michael Jefferson Estillomo, 23JUL2021.

The M113s conduct their Talisman Saber games in Queensland.

USMC photo by Corporal Michael Jefferson Estillomo, 23JUL2021.

U.S. Navy Video, by Mass Communication Specialist First Class Jen S. Martinez, of Aussie Digger M113s waiting for something to do, 24JUL2021:

Older type M113s on a landing craft, July 2019. U.S. Army photo by Sergeant First Class Whitney C. Houston.

July 2017, Australian Defence Forces photo by Leading Aircraftman Dillon Anderson.

Notice the six roadwheels on the Digger’s M113, the U.S. M113 has five.

M113AS4, Exercise Talisman Saber 17 at Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland. Australian Defence Forces photo by Sergeant Tiffany Edwards, 20JUL2017.

U.S. Navy photo by Woody Paschall, 15JUL2011.

USN photo by Woody Paschall, 15JUL2011.

Remember, NATO ‘partner across the globe’ Australia is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations (the official name used for the British Empire since 1926). In 2002, while visiting the armor (armour) folks on Edmonton, I was told by members of the Canadian Lord Strathcona’s Horse that the United States had been secretly brought back into the Empire. Australia’s M113 were produced by Tenix Defence, but in 2008 BAE (formerly known as British Aerospace or BAe) took over Tenix and created BAE Systems Australia.

Here’s some recent Empire shenanigans:

2021: BRITISH EMPIRE & U.S. SPACE FORCE, ‘ALLIED BY DESIGN’?

The new U.S. M109A7 PALADIN is made by a BRITISH EMPIRE company!

Rivet Joint-Airseeker, 2020: RC-135V/W PATRIOT & RED COAT