47-Ship RIMPAC Exercise Kicks Off Tomorrow

June 26, 2018 1:32 PM - Updated: June 27, 2018 7:16 AM
USS Sterett (DDG-104), front, participates in a photo exercise with Chilean Frigate Almirante Lynch (FF-07), second, Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341), third, French Navy Floreal-class frigate FS Prairial (F-731), fourth, United States Coast Guard Cutter USCHC Bertholf (WMSL-750), fifth, the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10), sixth, and Royal Canadian Navy commercial container ship Asterix. US Navy Photo

About 25,000 naval personnel and 52 ships and submarines from 26 countries will participate in this year’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise, which begins on Wednesday.

RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime exercise, includes rehearsal scenarios that cover disaster relief, amphibious operations, anti-piracy work, missile shots, mine clearance, maritime security, anti-submarine warfare and air defense operations, according to a statement released by U.S. 3rd Fleet.

During the course of the exercise, a series of live-fire events are scheduled, including: a long-range anti-ship missile (LRASM) shot by a U.S. Air Force aircraft; a surface-to-ship missile shot by members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force; and a naval strike missile (NSM) shot by the U.S. Army from a launcher on the back of a palletized load system (PLS), marking the first time a land-based unit is participating in a RIMPAC live-fire event, according to the 3rd Fleet statement.

Joining the U.S. military this year at RIMPAC are forces from the following nations: Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.

China had initially been invited to participate in this year’s RIMPAC but had its invitation revoked in May due to the nation’s continued militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea, according to Pentagon officials.

In total, the exercise will involve 26 nations, 25,000 personnel, land forces from 18 countries, 47 surface ships, five submarines and more than 200 aircraft. The exercise spans from June 27 to Aug. 2 in both the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Australia

HMAS Adelaide (L01). US Navy Photo

HMAS Adelaide (L-01)
HMAS Melbourne (FFG-05)
HMAS Rankin (SSG-78)
HMAS Success (OR-304)
HMAS Toowoomba (FFH-156)

Canada

HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341). US Navy Photo

HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341)
HMCS Vancouver (FFH-331)
HMCS Whitehorse (MM-705)
HMCS Yellowknife (MM-706)
MV Asterix

Chile

CNS Almirante Lynch (FF-07)

CNS Almirante Lynch (FF-07)

France

FS Prairial (F-731). Royal New Zealand Navy Photo

FS Prairial (F-731)

India

INS Sahyadri (F-49)

INS Sahyadri (F-49)

Indonesia

KRI Martadinata (331)

KRI Makassar (590)
KRI Martadinata (OPV-331)

Japan

JS Ise (DDH-182) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110). US Navy Photo

JS Ise (DDH-182)

Malaysia

KD Lekiu (FFG-30)

KD Lekiu (FFG-30)

Mexico

The Mexican Navy tank landing ship ARM Usumacinta (A-412) arrives at Naval Base San Diego for the Rim of the Pacific 2016 exercise June 29, 2016. US Marine Corps Photo

ARM Usumacinta (A-412)

New Zealand

HMNZS Te Mana (F-111). New Zealand Navy Photo

HMNZS Te Mana (F-111)

Peru

BAP Ferré (PM-211) US Navy Photo

BAP Ferré (PM-211)

Philippines

BRP Andrés Bonifacio (FF-17)

BRP Andrés Bonifacio (FF-17)
BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602)

Singapore

Republic of Singapore navy guided-missile frigate RSS Tenacious (71) enters Pearl Harbor in preparation for Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 on June 25, 2018. US Navy Photo

RSS Tenacious (71)

South Korea

ROK Dae Jo Yeong (DDH-977)

ROKS Dae Jo Yeong (DDH-977)
ROKS Park Wi (SS-065)
ROKS Yulgok Yi (DDG-992)

United States

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on June 20, 2018. US Navy Photo

USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750)
USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7 )
USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10)
USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO-187)
USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)
USNS Rappahannock (T-AO-204)
USNS Sioux (T-ATF-171)
USS Ardent (MCM-12)
USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6)
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
USS Dewey (DDG-105)
USS Halsey (DDG-97)
USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49)
USS John P. Murtha (LPD-26)
USS Lake Champlain (CG-57)
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Momsen (DDG-92)
USS O’Kane (DDG-77)
USS Preble (DDG-88)
USS Sterett (DDG-104)
USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110)
HOS Mystique, a private construction vessel similar to ones owned by HOS Hornbeck and chartered by the U.S. Navy in the past to perform submarine and special warfare support, according to the company website.

Ben Werner

Ben Werner

Ben Werner is a staff writer for USNI News. He has worked as a freelance writer in Busan, South Korea, and as a staff writer covering education and publicly traded companies for The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va., The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., Savannah Morning News in Savannah, Ga., and Baltimore Business Journal. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree from New York University.

Get USNI News updates delivered to your inbox