4 June 2025
Who does this notice affect?
This notice is relevant to all foreign force personnel, customs brokers, commercial operators and biosecurity industry participants involved in the onshore clearance of foreign force military equipment imported via air or sea freight for use in the Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25) Combined Military Activity.
Lodgement information
All imported foreign force military equipment for TS25 must be lodged by a licensed customs broker into the Integrated Cargo System (ICS) under a Full Import Declaration (FID). When lodging the FID, customs brokers should ensure that the correct tariff codes are used to apply the appropriate concessions and Community Protection Profiles are applied to the consignments. This approach is consistent with current Australian Border Force lodgement requirements.
All relevant shipment and manifest documentation must be submitted to the department for assessment via the Cargo Online Lodgement System (COLS).
Normal assessment periods apply for military equipment imported for use in TS25. Customs brokers should lodge shipment documentation at least five (5) business days prior to arrival of goods for sea freight and two (2) business days for air freight to avoid clearance delays.
Cargo bookings
A dedicated team has been established within the department to support the increase of military equipment arriving for TS25 and minimise the impacts of arriving cargo on industry.
Customs brokers lodging documentation for TS25 will receive inspection directions once cargo assessments have been completed. Inspection directions should then be forwarded to military@aff.gov.au along with the desired inspection location and inspection date. Brokers will then be contacted by the relevant region to support inspection of cargo.
Cargo inspections
Cargo that has not been offshore biosecurity inspected prior to arrival in Australia must undergo a complete biosecurity inspection on arrival. Brokers will receive an inspection direction once documents have been assessed.
Cargo that has been inspected offshore will undergo a verification inspection upon arrival in Australia. Brokers will receive an inspection direction once documents have been assessed. This should be sent to military@aff.gov.au for coordination of inspections.
Note: All inspection bookings will be allocated according to standard departmental procedures. Customs brokers must submit directions to the Military team with sufficient lead time to avoid delays. An inspection appointment will not be confirmed without a valid Agriculture Import Management System (AIMS) direction.
Further information
If you require further information, please contact the Military Section via email (military@aff.gov.au). Additional information about biosecurity requirements for visiting foreign forces is available on the department’s Visiting Military webpage.
Details of the relevant import conditions for foreign force military equipment can be found on the BICON Case: Goods for Military Use webpage.