A pallet of essentials for a mortar platoon – 81-mm

A pallet of essentials for a mortar platoon – 81-mm mortar rounds and water – sit atop a hillside on Townshend Island, Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland, Australia, as part of Exercise Talisman Saber 17, July 19, 2017. Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, refined their targeting skills during a combined joint live-fire exercise involving U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and service members with the Australian Defence Forces. BLT 3/5, the Ground Combat Element for the 31st MEU, is exploring state-of-the-art concepts and technologies as the dedicated force for Sea Dragon 2025, a Marine Corps initiative to prepare for future battles. The 31st MEU is taking part in Talisman Saber 17 while deployed on a regularly-scheduled patrol of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Talisman Saber is a biennial exercise designed to improve the interoperability between Australian and U.S. forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. T. T. Parish/Released)