RIMPAC Underway off Hawaii

By Brian T. Glunt June 27, 2014

U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu during an exercise in the Pacific Ocean, June 23, 2014. Peleliu will participate in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Daniel Viramontes)

RIMPAC, the world’s largest international maritime exercise consisting of 20 plus nations and hundreds of aircraft, ships and submarines began yesterday in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

The exercise will provide a unique training opportunity for fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2014 is the 24th such exercise since 1971 and for the first time will include Brunei and China.

Ships taking part in an international group sail to Hawaii ahead of the exercise included USS Chosin and USS Howard; along with KDB Darulaman and KDB Darussalam of the Royal Brunei navy; PLA(N) Haikou , PLA(N) Yueyang, PLA(N) Qiandaohu, and PLA(N) Peace Ark from the Chinese navy; and Singapore’s RSS Intrepid. Each of the ships, with the exception of Howard, will participate in RIMPAC.

The 2014 RIMPAC exercise will focus on developing maritime safety and security capabilities. The event is scheduled to take place in the Hawaiian Operating Area and off-shore ranges including: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Bellows Air Force Station, Pohakulao Training Area and Schofield Barracks. Some training events are also scheduled to occur off the coast of southern California.