Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The Australian Army has shared photos showing one of its M1A2 Abrams outfitted as a surrogate enemy platform, specifically to represent a People’s Liberation Army main battle tank. Vehicles meant to visually reflect an adversarial platform are a regular feature of exercises involving an Opposing Force (OPFOR). The depiction also reflects Australia’s growing emphasis on preparing for high-end conflict in the Indo-Pacific, and an Australian Defense Force that’s increasingly focusing its training and force structure on the challenges posed by China’s rapidly expanding military capabilities.
The photos were published on the Facebook account of the Australian Army’s School of Armor. Located at the Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria, southeastern Australia, this serves as the army’s center of excellence for mounted combat and armored fighting vehicle training.
A view of the OPFOR Abrams showing the turret rear with dummy external fuel tanks. Australian Army School of Armor
According to the school, this specific tank was prepared by soldiers from B Squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, as part of the OPFOR element for the Royal Australian Armored Corps Officer Basic Course (ROBC), which includes field training assessments. The latest ROBC will culminate in Exercise Tungsten Forge/Gauntlet Strike, a combined-arms tactical training exercise, and a capstone event for junior officers learning mechanized warfare and tank command. “Good luck to the junior officers as they attempt to outmaneuver a seasoned enemy commander,” the School of Armor declared in the caption accompanying the photos.
The most obvious aspect of the M1A2 Abrams’ transformation is its People’s Liberation Army-style ‘digital’ camouflage scheme, with prominent blocks in four colors — including bright green — over the standard three-tone camouflage. The tank is also fitted with dummy external fuel tanks on the rear of the turret. These are a common feature of Russian and Chinese tank designs, albeit fitted on the rear of the hull, something that’s not possible on the Abrams due to the exhaust outlet.
The end result is an Abrams that’s visually similar to a Type 99, China’s first mass-produced third-generation main battle tank, and the most important in the People’s Liberation Army inventory.
2/3 Detailed shots of the 🇨🇳PLAGF Type 99A tank & ZBD-04A IFV at the thematic exhibition to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Nantong) (via wb/琴石2022) pic.twitter.com/ei7EUSpGIl
It’s noteworthy, too, that the Abrams’ turret side appears to have the slogan ‘Bing Chilling’ applied. This should be a reference to a video-based meme in which wrestler and actor John Cena is shown saying ‘ice cream’ in Mandarin — words that can be phonetically written as ‘Bing Chilling.’
Overall, the primary objective of surrogate platforms like these is to replicate the visual appearance of potential adversary vehicles, not their exact capabilities or configurations. These surrogate platforms are designed as stand-ins rather than one-for-one copies of foreign equipment. Fielding visually representative vehicles during OPFOR exercises adds an extra layer of realism to training, helping troops practice target recognition, vehicle identification, and other battlefield observation skills under more authentic conditions.
It is possible that the Abrams will additionally be fitted with training devices designed to simulate the firing capabilities and vulnerability of specific adversary vehicles. This can be done using tools like the Instrumentable-Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (I-MILES), a laser-based training aid.
An Abrams and an M113 during the latest Tank Regimental Officers Basic Course (ROBC) and Mechanised Regimental Officers Course (MROC) recently conducted an integrated training activity in preparation for Exercise Tungsten Forge/Gauntlet Strike 2026.
Under a roughly $2.5-billion deal, Australia is getting 75 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, together with armored support vehicles. The Abrams are being procured under the Main Battle Tank Upgrade, formally known as LAND 907 Phase 2, and the U.S. government approved the sale of these new vehicles to Australia via Foreign Military Sales channels in 2021. Meanwhile, Canberra agreed to provide Ukraine with 49 of its older M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks.
The M1A2 SEPv3 — or System Enhancement Program version 3 — was developed by the U.S. Army to address lessons learned during fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and represents a major advance over the Australian Army’s previous M1A1 (AIM) variants, 59 of which were acquired second-hand from the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The first of the new tanks were delivered to Australia in 2024.
Australian Army soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment fire the M1A2 Abrams during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Australian Department of Defense PTE Alli Craig
The fact that the Australian Abrams is very much a frontline vehicle, available in limited numbers, explains the cosmetic nature of the OPFOR version. After the exercise is completed, it can be rapidly returned to its normal configuration.
This separates it from more bespoke surrogate enemy platforms, like those used by the U.S. Army’s National Training Center, for example, which relies on visually modified (VISMOD) M113 and Humvee-type vehicles to field surrogate Russian-made T-72s and BTR-90s, among others.
A U.S. Army Stryker-series vehicle meant to emulate a Russian BTR-87. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
It is not clear whether the Australian Army’s School of Armor has prepared additional Abrams as surrogates, but it does describe “in-service armored fighting vehicles” (plural) as having been adapted. Depending on the scale of the exercise, other candidates might include Chinese infantry fighting vehicles or self-propelled artillery.
At the same time, the People’s Liberation Army is also preparing for a potential conflict by training with surrogate platforms that represent a Western enemy. This is part of a much wider Chinese military investment in replicas and advanced training centers.
Last year, TWZreported on China’s use of trucks designed to mimic the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), soon after the first examples of the U.S.-made system were delivered to Taiwan. The surrogate vehicles were painted in Republic of Taiwan Army-style camouflage. HIMARS is also used by the Australian Army.
The Chinese HIMARS surrogate is built on an unidentified three-axle truck chassis and includes the distinctive HIMARS armored cabin as well as the six-round rocket launcher pod at the rear. via X via X
Wherever they are being used, surrogate vehicles give training centers a cost-effective way to replicate foreign military equipment without acquiring and maintaining actual allied or adversary vehicles. Whether elaborate or more rudimentary, VISMODs provide a greater degree of visual realism, while their performance and other capabilities can increasingly be simulated digitally during exercises.
At the same time, platforms chosen as surrogates also offer a snapshot of the strategic priorities and perceived threats of the era.
An Advanced Ground Threat Targeting System (AGTTS) used to simulate the radar from an SA-6 Gainful air defense system during Exercise Pitch Black 2010 in Australia. Australian Department of Defense LAC Glynn Jones
In this case, the ‘Chinese-look’ Abrams reflects how Australia’s defense posture has shifted significantly in recent years toward preparing for the prospect of high-end conflict in the Indo-Pacific, with China’s expanding military capabilities serving as the principal driver.
A Royal Australian Air Force F-35A in the hangar at sunset during Exercise Arnhem Thunder held at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. Australian Department of Defense SGT Pete Gammie
In its 2023 Defense Strategic Review and subsequent National Defense Strategy, the Australian government placed greater emphasis on deterrence by denial, long-range strike, and the ability to operate alongside the United States and regional partners.
While Canberra tends to avoid explicitly identifying Beijing as an adversary, Australia’s force modernization — including the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS, long-range and hypersonic missiles, enhanced northern basing — is clearly oriented toward countering the challenges posed by the People’s Liberation Army in a potential Indo-Pacific contingency. Increasingly realistic exercises centered on peer threats, such as Chinese tanks, provide further evidence of this.
Kerr signs with the NWSL champions until 2030, returning to the US league after six years spent with Chelsea in England.
Published On 29 Jun 202629 Jun 2026
Australian striker Sam Kerr has signed with Gotham FC, the reigning champions of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States, the club announced after the iconic player ended her dazzling career with Chelsea, which saw her win five Women’s Super League titles.
Kerr, who was a free agent, signed the contract on Monday that will see her play in New York through the 2030 season. She previously played in the city between 2015 and 2017.
The all-time leading regular-season goal-scorer for the North American league recorded 116 goals across all competitions with Chelsea and was the 2023 Ballon d’Or runner-up.
“This club was an important part of my journey, and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham has built, is really special. The ambition here is clear, and I’m looking forward to helping this team compete for trophies and create more history,” Kerr said in a statement.
The signing is a fine coup for the NWSL, which saw several players exit for opportunities in Europe last year, and brings one of the game’s brightest talents to the biggest sports market in the US.
“Sam is one of the defining players of her generation and a game-changing talent who has consistently delivered at the highest levels of world football,” Yael Averbuch West, the president of football operations for Gotham, said.
“Bringing Sam back to Gotham is a landmark moment for our club, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Kerr played 119 career regular-season games (113 starts) across her seven seasons with three teams in the NWSL, including three years with Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) from 2015 to 2017.
After playing the 2018 season with the Chicago Red Stars, Kerr played a season for the Perth Glory in her native Australia (2018-19) before returning to Chicago in 2019. She joined Chelsea in the Women’s Super League in late 2019.
Despite her six-and-a-half-year absence, her 77 regular-season goals are still an NWSL record. In 2017, she won the Golden Boot and MVP awards with Sky Blue FC after a season in which she scored 17 goals in 22 games.
Kerr will debut for Gotham after the NWSL’s transfer window opens on July 14. Gotham host the Washington Spirit on July 15 in the Queens Classic in New York.
Australian national Simon Peter Carman has been charged with murder after the body of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla was found inside a suitcase. CCTV footage appears to show the pair entering a hotel together and Carman leaving hours later with only a suitcase.
Erin Patterson was found guilty of killing three family members as she served them a lunch laced with poisonous fungi.
By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters
Published On 29 May 202629 May 2026
An Australian court has confirmed that an appeal hearing for Erin Patterson, commonly referred to as the “mushroom murderer,” will be held in August.
The Supreme Court of Victoria announced on Friday that the hearing will take place on August 19 and 20. Patterson’s lawyers formally applied to appeal her life sentence in November, arguing that there had been a “substantial miscarriage of justice” during her trial.
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Patterson was sentenced to life in prison in September after being found guilty of murdering three of her estranged husband’s relatives by serving them a lunch laced with poisonous fungi.
During the two-day hearing, the court will also consider an appeal from prosecutors, who argue that her sentence, which allows her to be considered for parole after 33 years, is “manifestly inadequate”.
Prosecutors unsuccessfully argued during the trial that her sentence should have been life imprisonment without parole.
Convicted triple-murderer Erin Patterson was sentenced to life in prison in September (Getty)
In July, a jury found Patterson guilty of killing her estranged husband’s parents after serving them a lunch of beef Wellington laced with toxic mushrooms.
The case attracted worldwide attention, with more than 250 journalists registering for updates from the court, and the judge deciding to broadcast the sentencing live.
Both Gail Patterson and Donald Patterson died in August 2023. Patterson was also found guilty of murdering Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, who died that same month, and of attempting to kill Wilkinson’s husband, Ian. He spent seven weeks in hospital following the poisoning and received a liver transplant.
Patterson is appealing her conviction on seven grounds, including what her lawyers described as a “fundamental irregularity” relating to the sequestration of the jury, who stayed in the same hotel as key figures in the case, including a police witness and two prosecutors.
Patterson’s lawyers also argue that several pieces of evidence presented during the trial were either irrelevant or unfairly prejudicial, and that the prosecution’s cross-examination of her was “unfair and oppressive”.
Patterson maintains her innocence, arguing that the poisoning was accidental.
May 24 (UPI) — The second fatal shark attack in less than two weeks in Australia has claimed the life of a 39-year-old man who was out spearfishing with friends at the Great Barrier Reef, authorities said Sunday.
Queensland Police identified the victim as a resident of Mount Sheridan, Australia, a suburb of Cairns, who died from a critical head injury inflicted by a bull shark while boating with three companions at Kennedy Shoal along the Barrier Reef on Saturday.
The fisherman was killed only eight days after a Perth man was fatally attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the water at a tourism hotspot in Western Australia.
Queensland Police Inspector Elaine Burns told reporters during a briefing Sunday the victim was hauled back onto his 23-foot boat by his friends, who then raced to shore in an attempt to save his life.
They were met by first responders at the Hull River boat ramp but it was too late.
“This is a tragic incident for everyone involved, and we will continue to provide support to the family and those who were on board with him,” Burns said, adding that the witnesses were deeply shaken by what they had seen.
“That’s quite a terrifying thing to see happen right in front of you,” she said.
Bob Katter, who represents the far northern Queensland district in Australia’s Parliament, took to social media to decry the latest shark fatality and called for the seaborne predators to be culled.
“This is a completely unnecessary heartbreaking tragedy, and all North Queensland mourns with this family tonight,” he wrote. “We understand there be more clarity over the coming days about what eventuated, but locals have been raising concerns about the exploding shark populations, particularly bull sharks, which are completely out of control, for years.”
Katter cited a local charter boat operator who told him that as they were reeling in a Spanish mackerel, six bull sharks began fighting over it.
“So much for them being a so-called endangered species,” he said, adding, “Another North Queenslander is dead. Another family is shattered. And still the people sitting in cushy air conditioned offices in Brisbane and Canberra think they know better than the people who live and work in these waters.”
But Richard Fitzpatrick, a marine biologist with James Cook University in Cairns, cautioned that the true size of the bull shark population remains unknown.
“We don’t know the population structure for these sharks at all,” he told 7News Australia. “We simply do not know how many are out there,” he added, noting that the school and government partners are only just now about to launch the first comprehensive bull shark population study covering Australia’s entire East Coast.
The pooled data sets will allow researchers to “finally work out what that population structure is.”
A Great White is observed during behavioral research studies being conducted on Great White Sharks off of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico on September 15, 2008. Club Cantamar, primarily a tour operator has branched into conducting coordinated research with Isla Guadalupe Conservation to protect the species of sharks while offering tourists to Mexico the ability to also observe the sharks as they migrate through the area. The Conservation agency reports its findings to the Mexican Government which maintains authority on granting this activity. (UPI Photo/Joe Marino) | License Photo
Eddie Jones suspended for four games over ‘verbal abuse’ of match officials during an Australian tour, Japan Rugby Football Union says.
Published On 13 May 202613 May 2026
Japan has suspended rugby coach Eddie Jones for four games and cut his salary for “verbal abuse directed at local officials” during an Australian tour.
The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) said on Wednesday that the 66-year-old Australian violated their ethics and disciplinary regulations during a Japan Under-23 team tour of Australia from April 1 to 15.
“These measures relate to incidences of verbal abuse directed at local match officials,” the JRFU said in a statement.
They said Jones had “accepted this decision”.
“I accept the disciplinary action of the JRFU relating to the U23 Japan national team tour of Australia,” Jones said in a statement.
“Some inappropriate remarks that I made caused discomfort to local match officials and other related parties.
“I would like to offer my sincere apologies to everyone involved. I deeply regret my behaviour and words and will make every effort to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”
Jones will miss Japan’s Nations Championship opener against Italy in Tokyo on July 4 and not be allowed to take any part in two games pitting a Japan select team against Hong Kong on May 22 and 29.
He is also banned from the Japan XV game against the Maori All Blacks on June 27 in Nagoya and the full Japan side’s Nations Championship opener against Italy.
He is suspended from duty for six weeks between April 24 and June 5.
A group of supporters surround an ISIS-linked family as they arrive at Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday. The group of 13 women and children came home to Australia after years spent in a Syrian refugee camp following the fall of the Islamic State. Three of the women have been charged with crimes. Photo by Joel Carrett/EPA
May 8 (UPI) — Australia has charged three women linked to ISIS with crimes against humanity after they returned home from Syria.
They had allegedly moved to Syria to be part of the Islamic State caliphate in Syria, but once it fell, they were in refugee camps guarded by Kurdish guards. They were part of a group of 13 people who were returned to Australia. It’s not yet clear if other people returning to Australia will face charges.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in February that he would not allow the refugees to repatriate to Australia.
Kawsar Ahmad, 53, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, 31, appeared in a Melbourne court Friday. Kawsar Ahmad was charged with four counts of crimes against humanity. Police allege she went to Syria in 2014 and kept a female slave in her home. Zeinab Ahmad faces two similar charges.
Another adult child of Kawsar Ahmad, Zahra Ahmad, arrived in Melbourne Thursday, but was not arrested.
Janai Safar, 32, appeared in a Sydney court and was charged with entering and remaining in a declared conflict zone and joining ISIS. She returned to Sydney Thursday with her son.
Safar’s lawyer, Michael Ainsworth argued for her release on bail, saying her alleged offenses happened when she was 21, and she has been in a refugee camp for nine years.
“This young lady … lived in truly horrific conditions in these refugee camps for many years,” Ainsworth said. “She has significant community ties here in Australia, she’s one of seven children. There’s a place for her to live.”
The Australian Federal Police said Kawsar Ahmad moved to Syria with her husband and children in 2014 and was complicit in buying a female slave for $10,000, “and knowingly kept the woman in the home.”
Zeinab Ahmad allegedly also traveled to Syria and kept a female slave in the home. A slavery conviction can bring up to 25 years in prison.
Federal police assistant commissioner for counter-terrorism Stephen Nutt said Thursday night that planning for the return of people from the Middle East began in 2015.
“Australian joint counter-terrorism teams methodically investigated all Australians who travelled to declared conflict areas and will ensure those who are alleged to have committed a criminal offense are put before the courts,” Nutt said.
