A Look at the Largest Maritime Exercise in the World (RIMPAC) 2014
Twenty-two nations, 49 surface ships, 6 submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel have been participating in massive drills and real world simulations designed to bring the world’s Navies closer.
RIMPAC (The Rim of the Pacific Exercise) takes place once every two years off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. It’s truly a multitude of exercises that range from disaster relief to live fire exercises.
Hosted by United States Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2014 marks the 24th exercise since it began in 1971. Since it’s founding, it has not only served as a way for Navies to interoperate and trust one another, but also to show off one another’s ships and equipment, and this year’s RIMPAC is no different. The Chinese media have certainly taken notice, as its the PLA(N)’s first time participating. The exercise has garnered a lot of public attention in China, and their media has been reporting on it consistently.
Some of the visiting Navies utilized the large exercise area for testing of sea based missiles and cannons. The ex-USS Ogden (LPD 5) was hit by a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F 310) as part of SINKEX a live fire exercise of RIMPAC.
The U.S. used the exercise to demonstrate its advances in unmanned tech as part of a sub exercise called the Advanced Warfighting Experiment .
The Japanese, currently in a territorial dispute with China, brought an array of its capital ships, including the helicopter carrier Ise (DDH 182) Hyuga class, as pictured below.
While the Japanese have certainly shown up in force, they are simultaneously participating in another exercise exclusively with the U.S. and India.
As part of RIMPAC, the US Navy has interviewed the officers on watch aboard the international vessels currently docked at Pearl Harbor. Here we have Lieutenant Junior Grade Shunta Asai, an officer stationed aboard the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship JS Kirishima, recounting his experiences of RIMPAC 2014.
And here we have Huang Zhihao, a sailor aboard the People’s Republic of China People’s Liberation Army (Navy) ship PLA(N) Haikou (DD171).
The PLA(N) brought 4 ships PLA(N) Haikou (DD 171), PLA(N) Yueyang (FF 575), PLA(N) Qiandaohu (AO 886), including the hospital ship The PLA(N) Peace Ark (T-AH 866), as pictured below alongside the USS Mercy. In a recent development the Chinese have also sent an intelligence ship, not to take part, but to shadow the exercises and conduct intelligence gathering operations.
A large component of RIMPAC actually takes place on land or the littorals where sailors, marines, and special forces from participating countries hone their skills on a variety of U.S. training facilities and ranges. Below A light infantry platoon from 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment participates in force-on-force training with personnel from the United States Marine Corps at the high-tech McTab training facility.
A CH-53E Super Stallion, assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463 “Pegasus,” conducts Helicopter Rope Suspension Training and Amphibious Insert Capabilities with members of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Recce Platoon and the Marines of 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
With destabilizing events in Ukraine and the South China Sea, the world needs RIMPAC more than ever.
Below is a list of participating nations and associated vessels.
Australia
HMAS Success (OR 304)
1 Submarine
AP-3C Orion
Learjet 35
MRH-90 Taipan
Diving Detachment
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
Land forces
Brunei
KDB Darulaman (OPV 08)
KDB Darussalam (OPV 06)
Canada
HMCS Calgary (FFH 335)
1 Submarine
CC-130T Hercules
CC-150T Polaris
CF-18 Hornet
CP-140 Aurora
Diving Detachments
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
Land Forces
Chile
CNS Blanco Encalada (FF 15)
SH-32 Cougar
Colombia
ARC Almirante Padilla (FM-51)
AS555 (Fennec 2)
France
FS Prairial (F 731)
Alouette (Light Utility Helicopter)
India
INS Sahyadri (F 49)
Alouette (Light Utility Helicopter)
Indonesia
KRI Banda Aceh (LPD 593)
Land Forces
Japan
JS Kirishima (DDG 174)
JS Ise (DDH 182)
P-3C Orion
SH-60K Seahawk
Diving Detachment
Land Forces
Malaysia
Infantry Platoon
Mexico
ARM Revolution (P 164)
AS565 Panther
Land Forces
Netherlands
Component Staff Personnel
New Zealand
HMNZS Canterbury (L 421)
P-3K2 Orion
SH-2 Sea Sprite
Mine Counter Measure Detachment
Land Forces
Operational Dive Team
Norway
HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F 310)
People’s Republic of China
PLA(N) Haikou (DD 171)
PLA(N) Yueyang (FF 575)
PLA(N) Qiandaohu (AO 886)
PLA(N) Peace Ark (T-AH 866)
Z-8 Changhe
Z-9 Harbin
Dive Unit
Peru
Component Staff Personnel
Republic of Korea
ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong (DDG 993)
ROKS Wang Geon (DDH 978)
1 Submarine
P-3C Orion
Super Lynx Mk.99
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
Land Forces
Republic of the Philippines
Component Staff Personnel
Singapore
RSS Intrepid (F 69)
S-70B Seahawk
Tonga
Infantry Platoon
United Kingdom
Component Staff Personnel
United States
USS Cape St. George (CG 71)
USS Chafee (DDG 90)
USS Chosin (CG 65)
USS Gary (FFG 51)
USS Independence (LCS 2)
USS Lake Champlain (CG 57)
USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112)
USS Peleliu (LHA 5)
USS Port Royal (CG 73)
USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60)
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
USS Rushmore (LSD 47)
USS Sampson (DDG 102)
USS Spruance (DDG 111)
USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187)
USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194)
USNS Mercy (T-AH 19)
USNS Navajo (T-ATF 169)
USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7)
USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52)
USCGC Waesche (WMSL 751)
3 Submarines
AH-1W Super Cobra
AH-64D Apache
B-52H Stratofortress
C-17 Globemaster III
C-2A Greyhound
CH-47F Chinook
CH-53 Sea Stallion
E-2C Hawkeye
E-3B/C Sentry
EA-6B Prowler
EP-3 ARIES
F/A-18C/D/E/F Hornet/Super Hornet
F/A-18G Growler
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-15E Strike Eagle
F-22 Raptor
Hawker Hunters
HC-130 King
HH-60L/MH-60M Blackhawk
KC-135R Stratotanker
Learjet 35
MH-60R/S Seahawk
MH-53D/E Super Stallion
MQ-9 Predator
OH-58D Kiowa
P-8A Poseidon
P-3C Orion
UH-1Y Venom
UH-60 Blackhawk
Explosive Ordnance Mobile Units
Mobile Dive Salvage Units
Command, ground and logistic combat elements
Southern California Operation Area
Australia
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon
Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoons
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Detachment
Canada
HMCS Nanaimo (MM 702)
HMCS Whitehorse (MM 705)
Diving Element
Chile
Counter Mine Unit
Japan
Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoon
Netherlands
Diving Team
New Zealand
Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoon
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Detachment
Peru
Diving Detachment
United Kingdom
Maritime Ordnance Disposal Unit
United States
USS Anchorage (LPD 23)
USS Champion (MCM 4)
USS Coronado (LCS 4)
USNS Montford Point (T-MLP 1)
USS Scout (MCM 8)
Mobile Dive Salvage Units
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Units
Mine Counter Measure Dive Units
Marine Mammal Systems
Observers
Bangladesh
Brazil
Denmark
Germany
Italy
Papua New Guinea
