Training Adversary System Support Cell, supports QUAD CBRN Working Group 2024 CT Working Group in Tokyo

In November 2024, the TASSC Decisive Action Training Environment (DATE), Team provided critical support to  the second QUAD Counter-Terrorism  Working Group Meeting and Fifth Tabletop Exercise hosted by Japan in Tokyo. The exercise, hosted under the QUAD framework, brought together key representatives from Australia, India, Japan, and the United States to address emerging counter-terrorism threats. This iteration focused on the tactical and strategic challenges—a scenario designed to reflect real and evolving threats. 

Prior to the working group in Tokyo, QUAD nations held a Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN), Table Top Exercise (TTX) at Randwick Barracks Sydney. The use of the Information Operations Network (ION) was essential in facilitating discussion amongst the exercises participants. ION’s dynamic capability allowed injects and content to be created during discussions in order to reflect the decisions made and enhance potential real world responses in the information space. 

The dynamically injected content allowed participants to view how their response to the scenario would be reflected in social media, creating added friction to the consequences of decisions in a crisis, and how the social media landscape would react. Social media injects through ION were used to stimulate further conversation amongst the participants whilst also prompting them to consider the repercussions of any potential actions taken, and discuss best courses of action in a CBRN crisis. 

Participants from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), expressed interest in using ION in the future. All three agencies mentioning that it enhanced the TTX experience rather than the usual death by PowerPoint styles of the past, and have reached out to the TASSC to enable facilitation of their upcoming exercises in 2025. 

Both TTX’s involved subject matter experts from QUAD military forces, who advised on their capability and support during these types of incidents.

The TASSC DATE Team played a pivotal role in developing and facilitating realistic training scenarios based on the Decisive Action Training Environment Indo Pacific (DATE-IP) training and exercises framework. Leveraging their expertise, the TASSC ensured that the scenarios were both operationally relevant and aligned with the QUAD nations’ doctrines and strategic objectives.

Mr WARISAWA Koichi from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan commented that the TASSC efforts enhanced the QUAD nations’ preparedness for chemical terrorism and strengthened multi-national interoperability. The working group concluded with a renewed commitment to collaborative counter-terrorism strategies, setting a foundation for future QUAD initiatives. This iteration highlighted the necessity of leveraging advanced scenario development to combat evolving security threats in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Army Battle Lab’s TASSC have now been invited to support the Indian led 2025 iteration of the QUAD CT working group, and will support further Canadian and US UAS related exercises later in 2025.