US Navy, Partners Sink Ships & Stage Raids in RIMPAC Exercises

What Is RIMPAC?

The Exercise Rim of the Pacific is the biggest international naval demonstration. Known as RIMPAC, it biennially gathers a group of willing ally nations to bring their most exciting tools and vessels and perform a series of exercises broken down into three movements: the harbor phase, the force integration training phase and the tactical phase.

This year’s edition, hosted in waters near Hawaii, wrapped up at the end of July, according to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Participating countries for the 2024 included:

• Brazil
• Chile
• Ecuador
• Indonesia
• Israel
• Republic of Korea
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Peru
• Philippines
• Sri Lanka
• Tonga

The aim of the exercises are to solidify and strengthen operational capabilities between nations. Those who participate aim to come out better equipped to take on threats both on an individual and collective scale.

There will be many U.S. Navy representatives with extensive training and combat experience at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Navy Summit on Aug. 15. Save a spot now to hear their insights and exchange ideas with DOD officials and members of the government contracting community alike.

U.S. Provisions

The U.S. arrived on the scene with three Battalion Landing Team infantry companies, a logistics platoon and maintenance detachment from Combat Logistics Battalion 15, as well as four CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced).

Notable Demonstrations at RIMPAC 2024

QUICKSINK

The Air Force Research Laboratory and the Navy built QUICKSINK, a weapon designed to, as its name suggests, swiftly capsize a sea vessel, and this year’s RIMPAC featured a successful sink of the USS Tarawa — once an amphibious assault ship.

“The QUICKSINK experiment is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and aims to provide options to neutralize surface maritime threats while demonstrating the inherent flexibility of the joint force,” the U.S. 3rd Fleet issued in a report. “This capability is an answer to an urgent need to quickly neutralize maritime threats over massive expanses of ocean around the world at minimal costs.”

Joint Amphibious Raid

RIMPAC 2024 was capped off by a collective go at a joint amphibious raid, which combined elements practiced in the preceding exercises to achieve interoperability. It involved ship-to-shore movements in small boat operations, amphibious assault vehicles and landing craft air cushion, in addition to military operations on urban terrain and fire and movement within infantry and mechanized formations, DVIDS said.

“RIMPAC provided a great training venue that merged our thirteen nations into one team able to operate side-by-side,” expressed Colonel Caleb Hyatt, commanding officer of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and deputy commander of Combined Task Force 176.

At the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Navy Summit, speakers like Director of the Disruptive Capabilities Office Michael Stewart and Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Hon. Nickolas Guertin will share how the service branch is taking the lessons learned from RIMPAC and developing new technologies and strategies. Don’t miss this invaluable opportunity!