Case Study: Controlling high-tempo personnel movement for Australia’s largest joint exercise
Client: Department of Defence, Combined Joint Movement Coordination Cell (CJMCC)
Project: Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025
How Profectus embedded cleared logistics and exercise support officers within the Combined Joint Movement Coordination Cell to control high-volume, short-notice personnel movement for Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, the largest joint exercise between Australia and the United States.
Client and context
The Combined Joint Movement Coordination Cell (CJMCC) operates within the Headquarters Combined Joint Theatre Support Component (CJTSC) and forms a key part of the ADF deployable logistics network. Its mission is to plan, coordinate and execute strategic and operational movement control for Defence and coalition forces during major joint and combined exercises, synchronising air, land and sea movements so that personnel and materiel are transported efficiently and safely between bases, ports and deployed locations.
Within CJMCC, the Regular Public Transport (RPT) Cell plays a critical enabling role, managing large volumes of commercial flight and surface travel bookings that move thousands of ADF and partner-nation personnel across Australia and overseas. This work directly underpins complex multi-domain exercises such as Talisman Sabre 2025 (TS25), the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, where precise movement coordination positions all personnel, equipment and sustainment assets where and when they are required for mission readiness.
The engagement
To meet increased operational demand and mitigate workforce shortfalls during the pre-deployment, execution and redeployment phases of TS25, Profectus deployed six logistics and exercise support officers to augment Defence existing movement control teams across multiple locations. Embedded directly within the RPT Cell and operating under the command of CJTSC, the team provided hands-on operational support to manage the full life cycle of personnel movement throughout the exercise.
The challenge
Talisman Sabre moves thousands of personnel between domestic and international locations within compressed timeframes, requiring the RPT Cell to operate at high tempo under constant change:
- High-volume RPT bookings: large volumes of flight bookings raised at short notice with frequent itinerary changes, often up to five per member
- Incomplete data: missing or incomplete CTM profiles and movement requests lacking key data such as travel times and destinations
- Grey-tail interdependencies: last-minute operational adjustments affecting connecting military air (grey-tail) or sea movements
- Unauthorised amendments: changes made directly through CTM by members without proper authorisation, while accurate records and accountability had to be maintained across multiple command levels and international partners
Our approach
Working closely with Defence movement control authorities and exercise planners, the Profectus team managed the end to end movement of personnel under Defence direction.
Booking and managing RPT travel
The officers booked and managed all RPT travel for Defence members supporting TS25, often with minimal notice and frequent changes, including bookings that at times involved five or more international flight legs across complex routing arrangements. All bookings, amendments and cancellations were accurately captured and reconciled within Defence systems to maintain full visibility of personnel movements.
Surface transport and liaison
The team coordinated surface transport such as bulk bus bookings and individual taxi services to complement air movements and maintain continuity between commercial and Defence-operated transport, and held continuous liaison with J78, CJMCC and unit movement officers to align movement data and resolve conflicts between commercial and military schedules.
Compliance and extended-hours coverage
Profectus ensured compliance with Defence travel policy, delegations and financial frameworks, and provided quality management and assurance across all bookings. The officers worked flexibly across extended hours, including weekends and up to fourteen-hour shifts, to meet exercise timelines and operational demands.
What we delivered
- All phases supported: pre-deployment staging, in-transit adjustments during the exercise and redeployment coordination at the conclusion of activities
- Multi-location coverage: engagement with Defence personnel and contractors across Canberra, Brisbane, Darwin and exercise hubs throughout northern Australia
- Accurate reconciliation: real-time reconciliation of bookings, cancellations and amendments so Defence held an accurate and current picture of all personnel movements
- Process improvement: recurring issues such as incomplete CTM data and unauthorised amendments identified and escalated to support ongoing improvement in Defence logistics systems
Systems and methods
CTM travel management · RPT booking management · Surface transport coordination · Defence travel policy and delegations
The result
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 concluded with Profectus officers having successfully supported Defence throughout all phases of deployment, execution and redeployment, managing a sustained volume of complex personnel movements across dispersed locations and tight operational windows while maintaining accuracy, accountability and continuity across Defence and coalition systems. The commitment to extended working hours, seven-day coverage and rigorous quality management ensured movement coordination was executed safely and efficiently under demanding conditions. Following the exercise, Profectus continues to provide Defence with logistics and movement coordination support in other operational areas, ensuring continuity of service and the retention of critical expertise within Defence movement control network.