RIMPAC Recap
The biannual RIMPAC exercises are always a double-edged sword in the aspect that there is typically a SINKEX or three that sees the deep-sixing of a hard-serving veteran without ceremony in a funeral pyre of expended ordnance worthy of a Viking king.
This loss is balanced in a series of PASSEX and PHOTOEX events in which some of the best and most enduring photos of the warships of the day pass from current media assets to historical records. Remember, the best images we have of the ships of old typically came during Fleet Problems and exercises of the sort that RIMPAC emulates.
With that, we have a run-down of each.
First, the bad.
This year’s RIMPAC saw the decommissioned 17,000-ton Austin-class amphibious transport dock ex-USS Dubuque (LPD 8) and the 40,000-ton big deck ‘phib (surrogate Chinese aircraft carrier) ex-USS Tarawa (LHA 1) pummeled to the seabed between July 11 and July 19 in waters 15,000 feet deep, more than 50 nautical miles off the northern coast of Kauai.
The blows came from a mix of air assets including Hellfires from Army AH-64 Apache gunships of the Hawaii-based 25th Infantry Division; a Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet; 2,000-pound Quicksink bombs from a U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, a Harpoon from a Dutch frigate, Norwegian-made Naval Strike Missiles making their first live-fires from American (USS Fitzgerald) and Australian (HMAS Sydney) destroyers, and a series of 105mm howitzer and 30mm cannon hits from an Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider from the 27th SOW out of Canon AFB.
And that is just what they disclosed.
The Army and Navy only released images of ordnance in flight, while dramatic footage of the Ghostrider working over Dubuque’s topside with its guns was made available.
HMAS Sydney fires Royal Australian Navy’s first Naval Strike Missile during a SINKEX off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii as a part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. The Royal Australian Navy has accelerated Naval Strike Missile installation in Surface Combatants, culminating in the 18 Jul live firing demonstration off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise RIMPAC 2024. This aligns with Government Direction announced in the 2022 Defence Strategic Review and the 2024 National Defence Strategy. LSIS Daniel Goodman, RAN
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), while participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, fires the first naval strike missile from a U.S. destroyer on July 18. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)
Royal Netherlands Navy De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS Tromp (F803) fires an RGM-84 Harpoon missile during a long-planned live-fire sinking exercise as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. (Royal Netherlands Navy photo by Cristian Schrik)
An AH-64 Apache helicopter attached 2nd Battalion, 6th Cavalry Squadron, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division shoots an AGM-114 Hellfire missile towards the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Dubuque for a long-planned, live-fire sinking exercise (SINKEX) off the coast of Kauai during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 11. Each SINKEX is conducted in strict compliance with applicable U.S. environmental laws, regulations, and permit requirements to minimize potential environmental harm. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Perla Alfaro)
Of note, no footage or images of Tarawa have been released, likely as it was subjected to most of the new ordnance, and, since those lessons are costly to learn, you might as well keep it as close to the vest as possible.
Now the good
Without further, how about those beautiful ship images, including some rarely seen platforms (escorts from Brunei, Canada, Germany, Korea, Mexico, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Holland, and Italy along with Korean ‘phibs and a German oiler). Then you have old platforms with new weapons (Kidd and Gridley with AN/SEQ-4 ODIN lasers, Fitzgerald with NSMs, Carl Vinson with embarked F-35Cs of VFA-97).
Plus there are just some downright interesting old hulls such as the circa 1991 Chilean frigate Almirante Condell (FF-06) which is the former RN Type 23 frigate HMS Marlborough (F233); and the circa 1970 Mexican gator ARM Usumacinta (A412), the former Vietnam-era USS Frederick (LST-1184).
Then of course this is possibly the last hurrah of the venerable USS Princeton (CG 59) which is projected for inactivation as soon as next October.
Enjoy!
Republic of Korea Navy destroyer ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin (DDH 975) sails in formation on July 22, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
German Navy replenishment ship FGS Frankfurt Am Main (A 1412) sails in formation off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Chilean Navy frigate CNS Almirante Condell (FF 06) sails in formation off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) sails in formation, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HMNLMS Tromp (F 803) sails in formation, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) sails in formation, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Royal Brunei Navy offshore patrol vessel KDB Darulaman (OPV 08) sails in formation off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Indian Navy frigate INS Shivalik (F 47) sails in formation off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Mexican Navy frigate ARM Benito Juarez (F 101) sails in formation, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Royal Malaysian Navy frigate KD Lekiu (FFGH 30) sails in formation, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Indonesian Navy frigate KRI R.E. Martadinata (331) sails in formation on July 22, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Italian Navy offshore patrol vessel ITS Montecuccoli (P 432) sails in formation on July 22, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Multinational ships sail in formation on July 22, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Corban Lundborg)
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force amphibious transport dock ship JS Kunisaki (LST 4003), South Korean Navy destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I (DDG 992), and the Virginia-class submarine USS North Carolina (SSN 777) along with other multinational ships sail in formation off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class R. Ezekiel Duran)
Multinational ships sail in formation on July 22, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
Mexican Navy tank landing ship ARM Usumacinta (A 412) sails in formation, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) led the formation of warships during RIMPAC 2024. She carries the “Air Wing Of The Future” including F-35C Lightning II, F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornet, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, EA-18G Growler, and MH-60R/S Seahawk with cutting-edge new weapons such as the very long-range AIM-174B air-to-air missile. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier leads a group sail on July 22, off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Corban Lundborg)
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100) sails in formation off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 22, 2024. Note her ODIN laser forward. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Bellino)
USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) during RIMPAC 2024 Flight II Burke
USS Gridley (DDG 101), the 8th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer fitted with ODIN laser weapon systems.
