The world’s largest multinational maritime military exercise, the 'Rim of the Pacific Exercise' (RIMPAC), is set to kick off on the 24th, coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, with a record-breaking scale.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, as Indo-Pacific security and the situation in the Taiwan Strait continue to draw international attention, how the U.S. and its allies demonstrate joint combat capabilities and convey a message of deterrence through this large-scale exercise will be a key focus of external observers.
A major highlight of this year’s RIMPAC is that a South Korean naval officer will serve as the commander of the Combined Maritime Forces for the first time. According to Yonhap News Agency, a South Korean admiral will command multinational maritime forces during this exercise, marking the first time in 55 years that South Korea has held this position.
South Korean media pointed out that both the command role and the scale of participating forces reflect South Korea’s gradually growing role in regional security cooperation.
RIMPAC has been held every two years since 1971, and this year marks its 30th edition. According to the U.S. Pacific Fleet, this year’s exercise involves 31 countries, around 40 surface ships, 5 submarines, 140 military aircraft, and over 25,000 personnel, running from June 24 to July 31.
Exercise subjects include maritime operations, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, amphibious operations, live-fire drills, and sinking exercises.