Missile fired from one Defence training area to another in the Northern Territory an Australian first

The American-made ATACMS long-range surface-to-surface missile took seven minutes to cover a distance of 260km from the Delamere Weapons Range to the Bradshaw Field Training Area in the Northern Territory.

Fired as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre, "hundreds of people" were involved in the planning of the successful ballistic missile strike at Bradshaw.

Nick Foxall, 1st Brigade Commander, said capabilities such as long-range land-based missile firing would have a big impact on the "ability to deny access to enemies" as the Army's focus in northern Australia was shifting to littoral operations.

"(The) Army is entering a new period, and exercises like Talisman Sabre, where we work with our partners and new capabilities, only enhance the defence of Australia," Commander Foxall said.

From the red dirt at Delamere in the NT's Victoria River District, 200km south-west of Katherine, the missile travelled towards the small town of Timber Creek hundreds of kilometres away.

On a ridge overlooking the target point, observers and terminal attack controllers from the 101st Battery, 8th/12th Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, alongside US Marines, watched on as the surface-to-surface missile thundered into the Australian outback and destroyed the designated target.

Having been fired in Australia for the first time, the ATACMS demonstrated the type of capability Australia would need to defend its northern borders - a need identified by the Defence Strategic Review and the government's National Defence Statement response.

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The review placed a great importance on defending Australia by deterring any adversary's attempts to project power through its northern regions.

Far-reaching capabilities such as the ATACMS, able to hit a land-based target with speed and precision over long distances, would be needed to meet the challenge of denying access to such a vast region, the review found.

Major John Ronayne the Officer in Command of Long Range Strike who was on the ground at the Delamere firing point, said the successful firing trial was both a "rehearsal for employing the system and a demonstration of capability".

"This event represents how the alliance can employ and coordinate these types of systems across vast distances as part of a multi-domain strike capability," he said.

More than 30,000 military personnel from 13 nations turned took part in this year's Talisman Sabre Exercise - the largest training activity between the Australian Defence Force and the United States military.

Across military bases in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory - including RAAF Bases Tindal and Darwin - the biennial 14-day exercise included large-scale logistics, firepower demonstrations, land combat, amphibious landings, air operations and maritime operations.