With the participation of naval forces from 29 nations, yesterday the representative of the United States Navy (US Navy) inaugurated the world’s largest multinational naval exercise, known as RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific). The exercise will be held in Hawaii over the next few weeks, involving forty ships, three submarines, ground forces from fourteen countries, 150 aircraft, and over 25,000 military personnel, with its conclusion anticipated in early August.
“The purpose of the exercise is to build relationships, enhance interoperability and competence, and ultimately contribute to peace and stability in the vitally important Indo-Pacific region,” stated Vice Admiral John Wade, Commander of the U.S. 3rd Fleet and Commander of the Combined Task Force (CTF) RIMPAC 2024.
In this context, RIMPAC will conduct its largest humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise with eight countries, five ships, five landing craft, five aircraft, multiple ground forces, and more than 2,500 participants in total. It will also exercise maritime security operations, sea control, and complex combat scenarios.
Operations will include amphibious maneuvers, artillery exercises, missile launches, anti-submarine and air defense drills, as well as military medicine, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, counter-piracy, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, and diving and salvage operations.
Regarding participating assets, it has been mentioned that F-35 Lightning II fighters, P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and V-22 Ospreys will operate from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay. The confirmed submarines include the USS North Carolina (SSN-777) and USS Topeka (SSN-754) from the U.S. Navy, and the ROKS Lee Beom-seok (SS-081) from the South Korean Navy.
Notably, in this 29th edition, for the first time, a commander from the Chilean Navy will serve as Deputy Commander of the CTF, while a rear admiral from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will serve as the vice commander.
The countries participating in Exercise RIMPAC 2024 are Germany, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, the Philippines, France, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Peru, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tonga.
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