Exercise RIMPAC

The Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the exception of 2020 where it was held in August. It is hosted and administered by the United States Navy's Indo-Pacific Command, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii.

Participants

The first RIMPAC, held in 1971, involved forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Australia, Canada, and the US have participated in every RIMPAC since then. Other regular participants are Chile, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. The Royal New Zealand Navy was frequently involved until the 1985 ANZUS nuclear ships dispute and was subsequently absent, until returning to take part in more recent RIMPACs since 2012.

While not contributing any ships, observer nations are involved in RIMPAC at the strategic level and use the opportunity to prepare for possible full participation in the future.

The United States contingent has included an aircraft carrier strike group, submarines, up to a hundred aircraft and 20,000 Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and their respective officers. The size of the exercises varies from year to year.

In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, both houses of the US have called for a Taiwanese participation of RIMPAC 2022 in the face of "increasingly coercive and aggressive behavior" by China.^[1]

By year

RIMPAC 1988

RIMPAC '88 took place in June of 1988, and involved the navies of Japan, Australia, Canada and the United States, as well United States Air Force B-52s.

Two US battle groups staged out of Pearl Harbor for the exercise: The USS Nimitz carrier battle group and the USS Missouri battleship battle group.

Following routine training exercises to enhance the multinational forces' abilities to operate together, the two battle groups were split into opposing forces and a pre-set war game scenario was put into action.

The Missouri battle group, with USS Long Beach, HMAS Darwin, HMAS Hobart and other escort and supply ships, assumed the role of "aggressor" and conducted an imaginary takeover of the friendly island of "Wombat" (a fictitious name given to the island of Lanai, as part of the war game exercise).

The USS Nimitz carrier battle group, accompanied by at least one submarine as well as Japanese and Canadian Navy frigates and destroyers, were then sortied from Pearl Harbor in order to "rescue" Wombat from the aggressor force.

Soviet intelligence "trawlers" constantly sailed the waters near the entrance of Pear Harbor during the exercise, "fishing" for radio transmissions and trying to follow warships as they left the harbor. Thus, the US Navy would often sortie many more ships than those needed to participate in the exercise, enticing the trawlers to follow them to sea. After the participating ships left harbor, the decoy fleet would then lead the Soviet trawlers back to Pearl Harbor, leaving the Soviet captains wondering where the carriers and battleships went.

The much larger carrier battle group eventually "won" the exercise, as was expected, and peace loving "Wombat" was liberated. But testing and perfecting the joint interoperability of the various nation's navies was ultimate goal. To this end, neither side "lost".

RIMPAC 1992

RIMPAC 1992 took place between 19 June and 2 August 1992.^[2] Among the vessels' taking part was the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, which was assigned to Battle Force X-Ray which also included ten Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessels (including the submarine JDS Mochishio).^[3]

During the exercise, a minor incident occurred when on 13 July 1992, a Qantas Boeing 747-400 flying from Los Angeles to Sydney inadvertently entered into the exercise's area near Hawaii.^[4] The aircraft's crew soon overheard a radio warning from the cruiser USS Cowpens that 'hostile action' would be taken against any United States Air Force (USAF) aircraft (playing the role of the pretend aggressor) attempting to enter the Cowpens' defensive area.^[5] The message was accidentally broadcast on the International Air Distress Frequency instead of the internal military radio network, leading to the 747 obeying the warning and leaving the area (despite the airliner not being in any danger). This led to the US apologizing to the Australian Government.^[5] A Qantas spokesperson stated that the flight was only delayed by 19 minutes.^[2]

RIMPAC 1994

RIMPAC 1994 involved 57 vessels, and more than 200 aircraft from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Canada each taking part in the exercise.^[6] These included USS Independence and her carrier battle group, USS Constellation battlegroup, the USS Essex amphibious ready group^[7] and the Kitty Hawk's battlegroup.^[8] The exercise's boundaries that year reached as far west as Midway Island.^[7] During the exercise, the Independence's air wing (CVW-5) conducted war-at-sea strikes against the Kitty Hawk, with the support of Japanese and US vessels.^[8]

RIMPAC 1996

RIMPAC 1996 involved more than 48 ships and 200 aircraft.^[9] Among these vessels were the US carriers Independence, Kitty Hawk and their respective carrier battle groups. Like in RIMPAC '94, the Independence conducted air operations against the Kitty Hawk battle group.^[10]

This exercise was notable for the accidental shooting down of a US Navy aircraft by a JMSDF vessel. On 3 June 1996, an A-6E SWIP Intruder from VA-115 (NF-500, BuNo 155704) based on board the Independence was shot down around 1,600 miles (2,600 km) west of Hawaii by CWIS fire from JDS Yūgiri.^[11]

At the time of the incident (4:15PM) in clear skies, the Intruder was at 700 ft (210 m) towing a target for Yūgiri to shoot down. The radar aboard the destroyer instead locked on to the radar signature of the Intruder and thus fired on it. The engines caught fire with the hydraulics seizing up before the crew safely ejected. Initially thought to be a mechanical it was later determined to be human error.^[11]

RIMPAC 1996 was also the first time that the Chilean Navy would be involved in the exercise.^[9]

RIMPAC 2000

From May 30th until July 6th of 2000, RIMPAC 2000 took place near Hawaii under the command of Vice Adm. Dennis McGinn. It included the naval forces of Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Over 50 ships, 200 aircraft, and 22,000 personnel participated in the exercise. RIMPAC 2000 encompassed a large combined-arms operation involving a number of land, sea, and air assets. The scale of the exercise was used to test the new Coalition-Wide Area Network (C-WAN), which connected all of the ships involved with the designated command ship of the exercise, USS Coronado.^[12]

Training operations during RIMPAC 2000 included surface warfare, amphibious landing operations, a sinking exercise (SINKEX), air operations, and the first humanitarian exercise in the history of RIMPAC.^[12]

RIMPAC 2010

On 23 June 2010, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Patrick M. Walsh and Combined Task Force commander Vice Admiral Richard W. Hunt announced the official start of the month-long 2010 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise during a press conference held in Lockwood Hall at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam. RIMPAC 2010 was the 22nd exercise in the series that originated in 1971.^[13] The exercise was designed to increase the operational and tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of maritime operations by enhancing military-to-military relations and interoperability.^[14] 32 ships, 5 submarines, over 170 aircraft, and 20,000 personnel participated in RIMPAC 2010, the world's largest multi-national maritime exercise.^[15]

RIMPAC 2010 brought together units and personnel from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States. During the exercise, participating countries conducted gunnery, missile, anti-submarine, and air defense exercises, as well as maritime interdiction and vessel boarding, explosive ordnance disposal, diving and salvage operations, mine clearance operations, and an amphibious landing. RIMPAC 2010 will also emphasize littoral operations with ships like the U.S. littoral combat ship Freedom, the French frigate Prairial, and the Singaporean Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme.^[13]

On 28 June 2010, the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan arrived in Pearl Harbor to participate in RIMPAC 2010. Ronald Reagan was the only aircraft carrier to participate in this exercise. During the in-port phase of RIMPAC, officers and crew of the 14 participating navies interact in receptions, meetings, and athletic events.^[16] Ronald Reagan completed its Tailored Ships Training Availability (TSTA) exercises prior to RIMPAC 2010.^[16]

During 6–7 July 2010, 32 naval vessels and five submarines from seven nations departed Pearl Harbor to participate in Phase II of RIMPAC 2010. This phase included live fire gunnery and missile exercises; maritime interdiction and vessel boardings; and anti-surface warfare, undersea warfare, naval maneuvers and air defense exercises. Participants also collaborated in explosive ordnance disposal; diving and salvage operations; mine clearance operations; and amphibious operations.^[17] Phase III involved scenario-driven exercises designed to further strengthen maritime skills and capabilities.^[17]

During RIMPAC 2010, over 40 naval personnel from Singapore, Japan, Australia, Chile, Peru, and Colombia managed combat exercises while serving aboard Ronald Reagan (pictured). This involved managing anti-submarine warfare and surface warfare for Carrier Strike Group Seven and the entire RIMPAC force, including the use of radar, charts, and high-tech devices to monitor, chart, and communicate with other ships and submarines. Tactical action officers from the different countries coordinated the overall operational picture and provided direction and administration to the enlisted personnel involved in the Sea Combat Control (SCC) activities.^[18] Also, Ronald Reagan conducted a live Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launch, firing at a simulated target, the first since 2007.^[15][16]

On 30 July 2010, RIMPAC 2010 concluded with a press conference held at Merry Point Landing on Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.^[14] A reception for over 1,500 participants, distinguished visitors and special guests was held in the hangar bays of the carrier Ronald Reagan.^[15]

During RIMPAC 2010, participating countries conducted three sinking exercises (SINKEX) involving 140 discrete live-fire events that included 30 surface-to-air engagements, 40 air-to-air missile engagements, 12 surface-to-surface engagements, 76 laser-guided bombs, and more than 1,000 rounds of naval gunfire from 20 surface combatant warships.^[14] Units flew more than 3100 air sorties, completed numerous maritime interdiction and vessel boardings, explosive ordnance disposal, diving and salvage operations and mine clearance operations and 10 major experiments, with the major one being the U.S. Marine Corps Enhanced Company Operations experiment.^[14] Ground forces from five countries completed five amphibious landings, including nine helicopter-borne amphibious landings and 560 troops from ship-to-shore mission. In all, 960 different training events were scheduled, and 96 percent were completed in all areas of the Hawaiian operations area, encompassing Kāneʻohe Bay, Bellows Air Force Station, the Pacific Missile Range Facility, and the Pohakuloa Training Area.^[14]

RIMPAC 2012

RIMPAC 2012 participating vessels[19]
Royal Australian Navy	HMAS Darwin HMAS Farncomb HMAS Perth
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Algonquin HMCS Ottawa HMCS Victoria HMCS Yellowknife
Chilean Navy	Almirante Lynch
French Navy	Prairial
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JS Myōkō JS Shirane JS Bungo
Mexican Navy	ARM Usumacinta
Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Endeavour HMNZS Te Kaha
Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS Choe Yeong ROKS Na Dae-yong ROKS Yulgok Yi I
Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS Formidable
Russian Navy	Admiral Panteleyev Fotiy Krylov Irkut
United States Navy and Coast Guard	Warships: USS Chafee USS Charlotte USS Cheyenne USS Chosin USS Chung-Hoon USS Crommelin USS Essex USS Gary USS Higgins USS Lake Erie USS Nimitz USS North Carolina USS Paul Hamilton USS Port Royal USS Princeton USS Reuben James USS Stockdale USCGC Bertholf
	Auxiliary ships: USNS Henry J. Kaiser USNS Matthew Perry USNS Salvor USNS Yukon

RIMPAC 2012 is the 23rd exercise in the series and started on 29 June 2012. 42 ships, including the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and other elements of Carrier Strike Group 11, six submarines,^[19] 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel from 22 nations took part in Hawaii. The exercise involved surface combatants from the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Chile.^[20] The US Navy demonstrated its 'Great Green Fleet' of biofuel-driven vessels for which it purchased 450,000 gallons of biofuel, the largest single purchase of biofuel in history at a cost of $12m.^[21] On 17 July, USNS Henry J. Kaiser delivered 900,000 gallons of biofuel and traditional petroleum-based fuel to Nimitz's Carrier Strike Group 11.^[22]

The exercises included units or personnel from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.^[23][24] Russia participated actively for the first time,^[25] as did the Philippines, reportedly due to the escalating tensions with the People's Republic of China over ownership of Scarborough Shoal.^[26]

RIMPAC 2012 marked the debut of the U.S. Navy's new P-8A Poseidon land-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft, with two P-8As participating in 24 RIMPAC exercise scenarios as part of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VX-1) based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay.^[27]

The 2012 movie Battleship is about two Arleigh-Burke-class destroyers (USS John Paul Jones and USS Sampson) and one Japanese Kongō-class destroyer (JS Myoko) discovering an alien armada during RIMPAC 2012.

RIMPAC 2014

RIMPAC 2014 participating forces[28]
Royal Australian Navy	HMAS Success HMAS Sheean[29] Learjet 35 MRH-90 Taipan Diving detachment Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Land forces
Royal Brunei Navy	KDB Darussalam KDB Darulaman
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Calgary HMCS Victoria[30] Diving detachments
Royal Canadian Air Force	1 CC-130T Hercules 1 CC-150T Polaris 6 CF-18 Hornet 3 CP-140 Aurora
Chilean Navy	Almirante Blanco Encalada SH-32 Cougar
Colombian National Navy	ARC Almirante Padilla AS555 Fennec 2
French Navy	Prairial Alouette LUH
Indian Navy	INS Sahyadri Alouette LUH
Indonesian Navy	KRI Banda Aceh Land forces
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JS Kirishima JS Ise P-3C Orion SH-60K Seahawk Diving detachment Land forces
Royal Malaysian Navy	Infantry platoon
Mexican Navy	ARM Revolucion AS565 Panther Land forces
Royal Netherlands Navy	Component staff personnel
Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Canterbury SH-2G Sea Sprite Mine counter measure detachment Land forces Operational dive team
Royal New Zealand Air Force	P-3K2 Orion
Royal Norwegian Navy	HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen
People's Liberation Army Navy	Haikou Yueyang Qiandaohu Peace Ark Z-8 Changhe Z-9 Harbin Dive unit Type 815 spy ship Beijixing, uninvited external observer.[31]
Peruvian Navy	Component staff personnel
Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong ROKS Wang Geon ROKS Yi Sun-sin[32] P-3C Orion Super Lynx Mk.99 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Land Forces
Philippine Navy	Component staff personnel
Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS Intrepid S-70B Seahawk
Tongan Navy	Infantry platoon
Royal Navy	Component staff personnel
United States Navy and United States Coast Guard	USS Cape St. George USS Chafee USS Chosin USS Gary USS Independence USS Lake Champlain USS Michael Murphy USS Peleliu USS Port Royal USS Rodney M. Davis USS Ronald Reagan USS Rushmore USS Sampson USS Spruance USNS Henry J. Kaiser USNS John Ericsson USNS Mercy USNS Navajo USNS Rainier USNS Salvor USCGC Waesche 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 EA-18G Growler F-16 Fighting Falcon F-15E Strike Eagle F-22 Raptor HC-130 King HH-60L/MH-60M Blackhawk KC-135R Stratotanker Learjet 35 Hawker Hunter 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 & logistic combat elements

RIMPAC 2014 observers
Bangladesh Navy
Brazilian Navy
Royal Danish Navy
German Navy
Italian Navy
Papua New Guinea Maritime Element

RIMPAC 2014 Southern California Operation Area
Royal Australian Navy	Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoons Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Detachment
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Nanaimo HMCS Whitehorse (Whitehorse was withdrawn by the Canadian Forces for misconduct)[33] Diving Element
Chilean Navy	Counter Mine Unit
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoon
Royal Netherlands Navy	Diving Team
Royal New Zealand Navy	Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoon Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Detachment
Peruvian Navy	Diving Detachment
Royal Navy	Maritime Ordnance Disposal Unit
United States Navy	USS Anchorage USS Champion USS Coronado USNS Montford Point USS Scout Mobile Dive Salvage Units Explosive Ordnance Disposal Units Mine Counter Measure Dive Units Marine Mammal Systems

RIMPAC 2014 was the 24th exercise in the series and took place from 26 June to 1 August, with an opening reception on 26 June and a closing reception on 1 August.^[34]

For the first time, the Royal Norwegian Navy actively participated in the exercise. Norway sent one Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate and possibly Norwegian marine special forces.^[35] China was also invited to send ships from their People's Liberation Army Navy; marking not only the first time China participated in a RIMPAC exercise, but also the first time China participated in a large-scale United States-led naval drill.^[36] On 9 June 2014, China confirmed it would be sending four ships to the exercise, a destroyer, frigate, supply ship, and hospital ship.^[37][38]

The year's RIMPAC participants were Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and the United States.^[39] Thailand was uninvited from the exercise following a 22 May military coup. Thailand's absence means that 22 nations participated in RIMPAC instead of the 23 that had been advertised.^[40] The exercise involved 55 vessels, more than 200 aircraft, and some 25,000 personnel.^[28][41]

China's 2014 participation in RIMPAC was its first.^[42]: 164

RIMPAC 2016

RIMPAC 2016 participating forces[43]
Royal Australian Navy	HMAS Ballarat HMAS Canberra HMAS Warramunga 3 Lockheed AP-3C Orion 1 Learjet 35 1 MH-60R Seahawk 5 MRH-90 Taipan 1 S-70B Seahawk Ground forces
Royal Brunei Navy	Staff
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Calgary HMCS Vancouver
Royal Canadian Air Force	1 CC-130J Super Hercules 3 CP-140 Aurora 1 KCC-130T Hercules 8 CF-18 Hornet
Chilean Navy	Almirante Cochrane SH-32 Cougar helicopter
People's Liberation Army Navy	Changdao Gaoyouhu Hengshui Peace Ark Xi'an
Colombian National Navy	Staff
Royal Danish Navy	Staff
French Navy	Prairial
German Navy	Ground forces (Seebataillon und Reservisten des Dezernates Marineschifffahrtleitung)
Indian Navy	INS Satpura
Indonesian Navy	KRI Diponegoro Ground forces
Italian Navy	Staff and Ground forces
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JS Chōkai JS Hyūga 2 P-3C Orion
Royal Malaysian Navy	Ground forces
Mexican Navy	Staff
Royal Netherlands Navy	Ground forces
Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Te Kaha 2 P-3K2 Orion 1 SH-2G (I) Seasprite Ground forces
Royal Norwegian Navy	Ground forces
Peruvian Navy	Ground forces
Philippine Navy	Staff
Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS Steadfast
Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS Gang Gam-chan ROKS Sejong the Great ROKS Yi Eokgi 1 P-3C Orion Ground forces
Royal Thai Navy	Staff
Tongan Navy	Ground forces
Royal Navy	Staff
United States Navy and United States Coast Guard	USS America USS Chung-Hoon USS Coronado USS Howard USS John C. Stennis USS Mobile Bay USS Pinckney USS Princeton USS San Diego USS Shoup USS Stockdale USS William P. Lawrence USNS Henry J. Kaiser USNS Navajo USNS Rainier USNS Rappahannock USNS Safeguard USNS Washington Chambers USCGC Stratton 4 submarines 2 B-52H Stratofortress 2 E-3B/C Sentry 2 KC-130 Hercules 3 KC-135R Stratotanker 1 MC-130J Commando II 8 RQ-7Bv2 Shadow 8 F-16 Fighting Falcon 4 F-22 Raptor 10 F/A-18 Super Hornet 3 AH-1W SuperCobra 1 CH-47F Chinook 4 CH-53E Super Stallion 1 HH-60M Pave Hawk 6 MV-22B Osprey 1 OAH-64D Apache 2 UH-1Y Venom 1 UH-60M Black Hawk Ground forces

RIMPAC 2016 Southern California Operation Area[43]
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Saskatoon HMCS Yellowknife
Mexican Navy	ARM Usumacinta
United States Navy	USS Champion USS Freedom USS Pearl Harbor

India participated in RIMPAC 2016.^[44]

In April 2016, the People's Republic of China was also invited to RIMPAC 2016 despite the tension in South China Sea.^[45]

RIMPAC 2018

In January 2018, China announced that it had been invited. On 23 May 2018, however, the Pentagon announced that it had "disinvited" China because of recent militarization of islands in the South China Sea.^[46] The PRC has previously attended RIMPAC Exercises on 2014 and 2016.

On 30 May 2018, the US Navy announced that about 25,000 naval personnel and 52 ships and submarines from 26 countries will participate.^[47]

RIMPAC 2018 participating forces[47]
Royal Australian Navy	HMAS Adelaide HMAS Toowoomba HMAS Melbourne HMAS Rankin HMAS Success
Royal Australian Air Force	RAAF P-8A Poseidon
Royal Brunei Navy	Staff
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Vancouver HMCS Ottawa HMCS Yellowknife HMCS Whitehorse MV Asterix
Royal Canadian Air Force	CP-140 Aurora
Chilean Navy	Almirante Lynch Ground forces
Colombian National Navy	Staff
French Navy	Prairial
German Navy	Ground forces Staff
Indian Navy	INS Sahyadri
Indonesian Navy	KRI Raden Eddy Martadinata KRI Makassar
Israeli Navy	Staff
Italian Navy	Ground forces Staff
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JS Ise
Royal Malaysian Navy	KD Lekiu
Mexican Navy	ARM Usumacinta
Royal Netherlands Navy	Staff
Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Te Mana 1 SH-2G (I) Seasprite Ground forces Staff
Royal New Zealand Air Force	2 P-3 Orion
Peruvian Navy	BAP Ferré
Philippine Navy	BRP Andrés Bonifacio BRP Davao del Sur
Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS Tenacious
Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS Yulgok Yi I ROKS Dae Jo-yeong ROKS Park Wi
Sri Lanka Navy	Ground forces
Royal Thai Navy	Staff
Tongan Navy	Staff
Royal Navy	Staff
United States Navy	USS Carl Vinson USS Bonhomme Richard USS John P. Murtha USS Harpers Ferry USS Lake Erie USS Lake Champlain USS Dewey USS William P. Lawrence USS Halsey USS Momsen USS O'Kane USS Preble USS Sterett USS Ardent USS Hawaii USS Olympia USCGC Bertholf USNS Rappahannock USNS Henry J. Kaiser USNS Charles Drew USNS Carl Brashear USNS Mercy USNS Sioux HOS Mystique
Vietnam People's Navy	Staff

In this edition of RIMPAC, the Chilean Navy was responsible for leading the naval exercise, being the first non-English-speaking Navy to carry out this task. The election of Chile as leader of the Task Groups is a recognition of the high performance achieved in recent editions and the quality of its personnel, which since its first participation in 1996 has been demonstrating its preparation and professionalism. This appointment also places this country in a leadership position in the Latin American and world level in the planning and execution of combined naval operations.^[48]

Israel, Vietnam and Sri Lanka made their debut in RIMPAC. Brazil was due to make its debut too but cancelled its participation for the second time.^[49] The exercise also included a live firing of the AGM-158C LRASM (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile) for the first time.

RIMPAC 2020

On 29 April 2020, the US Navy announced RIMPAC would be held from 17 to 30 August. It would be at-sea-only event because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.^[50] Twenty-five (25) nations have been invited to participate.^[51] Israel was among the original 25 invited nations, but declined to attend due to the pandemic.^[52] There has been some opposition to New Zealand's participation and there have been calls from peace activists for New Zealand not to attend.^[53] The Philippines sent its first missile-capable frigate on its maiden voyage, which was only commissioned into service last 10 July 2020, as its "shakedown cruise" where its performance would be tested by the crew in the two-week exercises.^[54]

On 17 August 2020, the US Navy announced that participation has scaled down to 10 nations, 22 ships, one submarine, and approximately 5,300 personnel, all at sea.^[55] These are the following navies that would take part in the exercise:

RIMPAC 2020 participating forces[55]
Royal Australian Navy	HMAS Hobart HMAS Arunta HMAS Stuart HMAS Sirius
Royal Brunei Navy	KDB Darulehsan
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Regina HMCS Winnipeg
French Navy	Bougainville
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JS Ise JS Ashigara
Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Manawanui
Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin
Philippine Navy	BRP Jose Rizal
Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS Supreme
United States Navy and United States Coast Guard	USS Essex USS Lake Erie USS Chung Hoon USS Dewey USS Jefferson City USCGC Munro USNS Henry J. Kaiser USNS Sioux

On 29 August 2020, forces began firing on former USS Durham, a Charleston-class amphibious cargo vessel that was decommissioned in 1994. The US Navy and partner nations wrapped up the biennial RIMPAC 2020 exercise over the weekend with the sinking of the decommissioned amphibious cargo vessel.^[56]

RIMPAC 2022

RIMPAC 2022 was held in the summer of that year, between 29 June and 4 August. It was expected to be a more traditional RIMPAC with the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions.^[57]

On 23 February 2022, it was announced that 27 countries are expected to take part.^[58] On 14 April 2022, it was announced that Canada would send four warships to participate.^[59] The same day, Peru announced that the corvette BAP Guise would also take part.^[60]

On 1 June 2022, a total of 26 countries have confirmed to take part at Exercise RIMPAC 2022, with the list as follows: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and the United States (being 11 countries in Asia, 5 countries in Europe, 4 countries in South America, 3 countries in North America and 3 countries in Oceania).^[61]

RIMPAC 2022 participating forces
Royal Australian Navy	HMAS Canberra HMAS Warramunga HMAS Supply
Royal Canadian Navy	HMCS Vancouver HMCS Winnipeg HMCS Brandon HMCS Edmonton
Indonesian Navy	KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai
French Navy	FS Prairial
German Navy	Special Forces Detachment
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	JS Izumo JS Takanami JS Kirisame
Republic of Korea Navy	ROKS Marado ROKS Sejong the Great ROKS Munmu the Great ROKS Shin Dol-seok
Royal Malaysian Navy	KD Lekir
Mexican Navy	ARM Usumacinta ARM Benito Juárez
Royal New Zealand Navy	HMNZS Aotearoa
Indian Navy	INS Satpura
Israeli Navy	Special Forces Detachment
Peruvian Navy	BAP Guise
Philippine Navy	BRP Antonio Luna
Republic of Singapore Navy	RSS Intrepid
Sri Lanka Navy	Marine detachment
Chilean Navy	CNS Almirante Lynch
United States Navy	USS Abraham Lincoln USS Mobile Bay USS Fitzgerald USS Gridley USS Sampson USS Spruance USS William P. Lawrence USS Chafee USS Essex USS Michael Monsoor USNS Pecos USNS Henry J. Kaiser USS Topeka USS Charlotte USNS Washington Chambers

RIMPAC 2022 Southern California Operation Area[43]
United States Navy	USS Portland

Experiments

RIMPAC experiments have included a range of sectors important to international militaries. In RIMPAC 2000, for example, the first of the Strong Angel international humanitarian response demonstrations were held on the Big Island of Hawai'i near Pu'u Pa'a. That series continued with events in the summer of 2004 and again in 2006.

Participants have also conducted exercises in ship-sinking and torpedo usage. They also have tested new naval vessels and technology. For example, in 2004, the United States Navy tested the Australian-built HSV-2 Swift, a 321-foot (98 m) experimental wave-piercing catamaran that draws only 12 feet (3.7 m) of water, has a top speed of almost 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph), and can transport 605 tons of cargo.

Gallery

• 
  Marines from Kaneohe Bay conducting an amphibious landing in RIMPAC 2004.
• 
  USS Key West at periscope depth, RIMPAC 2004
• 
  SECNAV Mabus departs Hickam to review the RIMPAC 2012 fleet
• 
  Ultra Heavy-Lift Amphibious Connector lands on the shore after disembarking USS Rushmore with heavy equipment during a Marine Corps Advanced Warfighting Experiment during RIMPAC 2014. The prototype is a ship-to-shore connector and is 50% scale.
• 
  SECNAV Richard Spencer meets with RIMPAC 2018 commanders
• 
  Legged Squad Support System (LS3) walks around the Kahuku Training Area during RIMPAC 2014. The LS3 is experimental technology being tested by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab.
• 
  Marines follow a Ground Unmanned Support Surrogate (GUSS), experimental technology being tested by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab during RIMPAC 2014 at Kahuku Training Area.
• 
  Chilean defense minister Alberto Espina participates in RIMPAC 2018
• 
  SecDef Esper with CINCPACFLT Aquilino at RIMPAC 2020

42 ships & subs from 15 nations in close formation during RIMPAC 2014

In popular culture

• RIMPAC 2012 was the main setting of the 2012 film Battleship.^[62]
• The IMAX documentary film Aircraft Carrier: Guardians of the Sea covers RIMPAC 2014.
• NCIS: Hawaiʻi S2 E1 Prisoners Dilemma story involves RIMPAC 2022.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RIMPAC.