RIMPAC 2014

Participará Semar en el mayor ejercicio táctico del mundo

Doris Gómora | El Universal
Miércoles 07 de mayo de 2014

Fuerzas marítimas de 23 países participarán en la edición 24 del 'Borde del Pacífico', un ejercicio naval destinado a fortalecer las relaciones entre las naciones sobre la seguridad en la región


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La Secretaría de Marina de México (Semar) participará en el mayor ejercicio táctico naval a nivel mundial en el que participarán 23 países, del 26 de junio al primero de agosto próximos, en la zona de las islas de Hawai, anunció la Marina de Estados Unidos.

En la edición 24 del ejercicio bienal denominado "Borde del Pacífico" (RIMPAC, por su siglas en inglés) participarán 47 barcos, seis submarinos, más de 200 aviones, y 25 mil militares de China, Corea, Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Francia, India, Indonesia, Japón, Malasia, México, Países Bajos, Nueva Zelanda, Normandía, Perú, Filipinas, Singapur, Tailandia y Tonga.

La Marina de EU precisó que en el teatro de operaciones, los militares de los países participantes se ejercitarán en un amplio rango de capacidades, y demostrarán una inherente flexibilidad de las fuerzas marítimas que abarcarán desde desastres naturales hasta operaciones de control de seguridad en el mar y complejos enfrentamientos.

"El relevante y realista programa de entrenamiento incluye ambiciosas operaciones, artillería, símiles, ejercicios antisubmarinos, de defensa aérea así como contra pirataje, operaciones de desactivación de minas y de artillería explosiva, salto y operaciones de salvamento".

Bajo el tema "Capaz, adaptable, compañeros" el RIMPAC 2014 está enfocado en fortalecer las relaciones entre las naciones sobre la seguridad del Pacífico al proporcionar una oportunidad única de entrenamiento que permute a los participantes mantener relaciones de cooperación que son críticas para dar seguridad en los oceános del mundo.

RIMPAC 2014 incluirá por primera vez un componente de operaciones especiales encabezados por el capitán de marina de Estados Unidos William Stevens, e integrará por primera vez dos buques hospitales y así como con la participación de China y Brunei.

El anfitrión del RIMPAC 2014 será la flota de Estados Unidos del Pacífico que estará encabezada por el vicealmirante Kenneth Floyd, actual comandante de la Tercera Flota estadounidense (C3F) y quien servirá como el comandante de la Fuerza de Tarea Combinada (CTF, por sus siglas en inglés).

Además, el contraalmirante australiano Simon Cullen será el subcomandante de la Fuerza de Tarea Combinada, y el contralmirante japonés Yasuri Nakahata, el vicecomandante de la fuerza de tarea citada, explicó la Marina de Estados Unidos.

Otros militares que encabezarán a la fuerza multinacional serán el contraalmirante Giller Couturier, de la armada canadiense, quien comandará el agrupamiento marítimo; el comodoro aéreo Chris Westwood, de la Real Fuerza Aerea Australiana, quien guiará el componente aéreo, y el general de los marines Richard Simcock, quien estará a cargo del agrupamiento terrestre.

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23 nations heading to Hawaii for RIMPAC as exercise details emerge
[The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan transits the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 2010, with ships assigned to the 2010 Rim of the Pacific combined task force north of Hawaii. Dylan McCord/U.S. Navy]
The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan transits the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 2010, with ships assigned to the 2010 Rim of the Pacific combined task force north of Hawaii.

Dylan McCord/U.S. Navy
By William Cole
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Published: April 29, 2014


Twenty-three nations, about 40 ships, six submarines, hundreds of aircraft and 25,000 people are participating in this year's Rim of the Pacific war games in and around Hawaii June 26 to Aug. 1, the Navy said.

Details until now have been few, but Navy officials released some of the specifics of this summer's iteration of the world's largest international maritime exercise.

Those include China's participation for the first time as some raise concerns that forays by the rising Asian power into blue waters far from its country are largely about countering the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The People's Liberation Army-Navy is scheduled to send four ships to RIMPAC, the Navy said.

The hospital ship Peace Ark will take part in medical exchanges and exercises, and an oiler, frigate and destroyer will participate in a "maritime interdiction operations" task force under a U.S. Coast Guard cutter commanding officer, Lt. Lenaya Rot­klein, a spokes­woman for the Navy's 3rd Fleet in San Diego, said Monday.

This year’s exercise also features units or personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

A U.S. Navy ship and Chinese ships Harbin, a destroyer, and oiler Wei­shanhu conducted maritime interdiction operations, including a counterpiracy exercise, in the Gulf of Aden in August.

The Pentagon said the exercise was "a big step beyond" the first counterpiracy exercise between the U.S. and Chinese navies in 2012.

A small Chinese contingent did observe RIMPAC in 1998, the Navy previously said. But the National Defense Authorization Act of 2000 prohibits military-to-military contact with the People's Liberation Army if that contact would "create a national security risk" due to exposure to operational areas including advanced combined-arms and joint combat operations.

Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., head of U.S. Pacific Fleet, said earlier this month in Australia in prepared remarks that he is "concerned by the aggressive growth of the Chinese military."

But he also said China's participation in RIMPAC will be an important milestone.

"Despite the concerns I've mentioned, we welcome the emergence of a peaceful, responsible and prosperous China as a positive contributor to Asian stability," Harris said.

This year's exercise includes units or personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Rea­gan and amphibious assault ship USS Pele­liu will be among the biggest ships to take part in the upcoming RIMPAC, which is held every other year off Hawaii.

Four ships are scheduled to participate in a portion of the exercise off Southern Cali­for­nia.

The exercise will be divided into a "harbor phase" to build relationships and reinforce protocols; scripted exercises with gunnery, ship sinkings, an amphibious rehearsal and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; and large-scale, multilateral, unscripted exercises.

RIMPAC Schedule

June 25: Forces arrive in Hawaii
June 30: Opening press conference
June 26-July 7: Harbor phase
July 3-12: Humanitarian assistance/disaster relief portion of exercise
July 8-24: Scripted training events
July 26-29: Scenario play/execution
July 30-31: Forces will return to port
Aug. 1: Exercise ends/closing reception
After Aug. 4: Forces depart Hawaii

Two sinking exercises, or "SINKEXs," are planned with the ex-Ogden confirmed and either the ex-Racine or ex-Tuscaloosa to be the other old ship to be deep-sixed, 3rd Fleet's Rotklein said.

Six submarines are scheduled for the war games, highlighting the importance of submarine warfare.

December planning slides for RIMPAC?indicated that the lineup included the U.S. subs Houston, City of Corpus Christi and Santa Fe; Australia sub HMAS Waller; Canadian sub HMCS Victoria; and a South Korean submarine.

A fire occurred on the Waller in February. The Navy said six submarines still are expected, but the list has changed since the December planning session.

The maritime interdiction operation involving the Chinese destroyer, frigate and oiler was referenced in December by the Navy as being under the Coast Guard cutter Waesche and including two Royal Brunei Navy ships, a French frigate, a U.S. frigate and the Pearl Harbor-based cruiser USS Port Royal.

As part of a conflict simulation, the Hawaiian Islands were divided into four fictional "Coaster Islands" countries: Griffon, Orion, Yolo and Pandora, according to the December RIMPAC planning slides, which were posted on the Internet in February.

Oahu and Kauai are part of Griffon, while Maui, Lanai and Molo­kai are Yolo. Hawaii island is Orion, and Pandora is delineated by a sea area to the west of Kauai.

Griffon, a liberal demo­cratic republic, is the economic driver in the region and has strong ties to the RIMPAC nations.

Orion is a military dictatorship that was the result of a military coup that took place in the early 1990s. Orion has the strongest military within the Coaster Islands and is led by an expansionist regime.

Piracy within the region is on the rise, as are hostilities by Orion toward Griffon. Orion harassment of Griffon shipping includes detaining merchant vessels, siphoning of refined oil products and eventually firing upon and sinking vessels.

The "armed resistance movement" is a terrorist organization that increases its influence within Griffon with the main aim of creating instability to undermine the government.

The "mission statement" for that portion of the exercise is to deploy forces to the Coaster Islands in order to restore freedom of navigation, expel the armed resistance movement from Griffon and Yolo, and deter aggression within the islands.

The 3rd Fleet's Rotklein said some aspects of the scenario have changed since December but that those changes wouldn't be discussed "in order to preserve a degree of realism for the participants."

"U.S. 3rd Fleet has worked with political advisers from participating nations to add realistic and relevant details to the scenario, to include United Nations Security Council resolutions," but the scenario has no relationship to any particular area of the world, Rotklein said.

Held every two years by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), RIMPAC 2014 is a multinational maritime exercise that takes place in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

This year’s RIMPAC exercise, the 24th in the series that began in 1971, is scheduled from June 26 to August 1, with an opening reception scheduled for June 26 and closing reception August 1. Twenty-three nations, 47 surface ships, 6 submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate. Units from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Columbia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the People’s Republic of China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States will participate.

RIMPAC is a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.

RIMPAC 2014 exercise to begin in June

6 May 2014


The world's largest international maritime exercise, Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014, is set to begin on 6 June in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands.

The biennial event, which will run through to 1 August, is targeted at combating terrorism and piracy.
Around 47 ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel from twenty-three nations will participate.

Themed as 'capable, adaptive, partners', RIMPAC 2014 is the 24th in the series, and is aimed at demonstrating the collaborative defence efforts required in maintaining peace and stability in the Pacific region.
During the drill hosted by the US Pacific Fleet, participating nations and forces will train on a broad range of capabilities, as well as demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces, ranging from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complicated fighting.

The drill also involves amphibious operations, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defence exercises, in addition to counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.
Navies from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway will take part.

Furthermore, RIMPAC will welcome the navies of Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the UK and the US, with Brunei and the People's Republic of China taking part for the first time.

The multinational maritime exercise will also provide training opportunities to reinforce and sustain critical cooperative relationships, while assuring the safety of sea lanes and security.

Ejecutivo pide autorización para que marinos mexicanos realicen prácticas en el extranjero.

Miércoles, 26 de Marzo de 2014 14:00


BOLETÍN-406

El titular del Ejecutivo federal solicitó tres autorizaciones del Senado de la República para que cadetes de la Heroica Escuela Naval Militar y de la Escuela Médico Naval realicen viajes de prácticas al extranjero y para que elementos de la Armada de México participen en ejercicios fuera de los límites del país.

Conforme a lo dispuesto en el artículo 76, fracción III, de la Constitución, es facultad exclusiva del Senado de la República autorizar al Ejecutivo Federal para que permita la salida de tropas nacionales fuera de los límites del país.

Dicha solicitud es para que los cadetes viajen al extranjero, del 19 de junio al 15 de julio y del 1 al 25 de julio de 2014, respectivamente.

Los viajes se llevarán a cabo a bordo de los buques Auxiliar Multipropósito ARM "Huasteco" y Patrulla Oceánica ARM "Durango".

El primero zarpará del Puerto de Veracruz con cadetes del tercer año de las carreras de Ingeniero en Electrónica y Comunicaciones Navales; Ingeniero Mecánico Naval, y Logística de la Heroica Escuela Naval Militar.

Visitará los puertos de Fort de France Martinica, Francia; Cartagena de Indias, Colombia; La Habana, Cuba; y Puerto Progreso, Yucatán; del 19 de junio al 15 de julio de 2014.

Contará con un helicóptero embarcado, 66 elementos, 62 cadetes masculinos, 20 cadetes femeninos, 17 elementos directivos y de apoyo de la Heroica Escuela Naval Militar, así como 13 elementos de Infantería de Marina como fuerza de reacción.

La Patrulla Oceánica ARM "Durango" zarpará del puerto de Acapulco, Guerrero, con cadetes del cuarto año de la Escuela Médico Naval y visitará los puertos de Vallarta, Jalisco; Ensenada, Baja California; San Diego, California, EUA; Mazatlán, Sinaloa; y Acapulco, Guerrero.

Además, los cadetes visitarán el Hospital Naval de San Diego, California. Este viaje se realizará del 1 al 25 de julio de 2014.

Contará con una dotación de 77 elementos, 20 cadetes masculinos, 8 cadetes femeninos y 8 elementos directivos y de apoyo de la Escuela Médico Naval Militar.

Además, se solicitó la salida de elementos de la Armada de México para que participen fuera de los límites del país en el Ejercicio Multinacional "Cuenca del Pacífico" (RIMPAC-2014), que se llevará a cabo del 27 de junio al 1 de agosto de 2014, en las Islas Hawái, Estados Unidos de América.

La Armada de México participará con una fuerza compuesta por la Patrulla Oceánica ARM "Revolución", un helicóptero y una sección de 30 elementos de Infantería de Marina.

Con ello se busca fortalecer la interoperabilidad entre unidades de las Armadas participantes mediante la aplicación de procedimientos operativos estandarizados, planeación y conducción de operaciones navales con fuerzas de tarea multinacionales.

Participarán los siguientes países Canadá, Chile, Colombia, Estados Unidos de América, México, Perú; Inglaterra, Francia, Holanda, Noruega, Rusia; Brunei, Corea del Sur, China, Filipinas, India, Indonesia, Japón, Malasia, Singapur, Tailandia, Australia, Nueva Zelanda y Tonga, y como observadores: Bangladesh, Brasil, Burma, Camboya, Maldivas, Papúa Nueva Guinea, Sri Lanka y Vietnam.

También se solicitó la salida de elementos de la Armada de México para que participen fuera de los límites del país en el Ejercicio Anfibio "Sociedad de las Américas", que se llevará a cabo del 11 al 22 de agosto de 2014, en el Fuerte Aguayo y Puerto Aldea, Chile.

En este ejercicio tomarán parte las armadas de los Estados Unidos, Argentina, Brasil, Bolivia, Canadá, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay y México.

La Armada de México intervendrá con una fuerza naval compuesta del Buque de Guerra Anfibia ARM "Usumacinta", con 207 elementos de tripulación, un helicóptero MI-17 con 6 elementos de tripulación de vuelo y una sección de 43 elementos de Infantería de Marina.

Las solicitudes fueron turnadas a las Comisiones Unidas de Relaciones Exteriores y de Marina para su análisis y dictamen.

--ooOOoo--

Participating Forces

Australia
HMAS Success (OR 304)
1 Submarine
Learjet 35
MRH-90 Taipan
Diving Detachment
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
Land forces

Brunei

KDB Darulaman (OPV 08)
KDB Darussalam (OPV 06)

Canada

HMCS Calgary (FFH 335)
1 Submarine
CC-130T Hercules
CC-150T Polaris
CF-18 Hornet
CP-140 Aurora
Diving Detachments
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
Land Forces

Chile

CNS Blanco Encalada (FF 15)
SH-32 Cougar

Colombia

ARC Almirante Padilla (DT 03)
AS555 (Fennec 2)

France

FS Prairial (F 731)
Alouette (Light Utility Helicopter)

India

INS Sahyadri (F 49)
Alouette (Light Utility Helicopter)

Indonesia

KRI Banda Aceh (LPD 593)
Land Forces

Japan

JS Kirishima (DDG 174)
JS Ise (DDH 182)
P-3C Orion
SH-60K Seahawk
Diving Detachment
Land Forces

Malaysia

Infantry Platoon

Mexico

ARM Revolution (P 164)
AS565 Panther
Land Forces

Netherlands

Component Staff Personnel

New Zealand

HMNZS Canterbury (L 421)
P-3K2 Orion
SH-2 Sea Sprite
Mine Counter Measure Detachment
Land Forces
Operational Dive Team

Norway

HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F 310)

People's Republic of China

PLAN(N) (DD)
PLAN(N) Liuzhou (FF 573)
PLAN(N) (AO)
PLAN(N) Peace Ark (T-AH 866)
Z-8 Changhe
Z-9 Harbin
Dive Unit

Peru

Component Staff Personnel

Republic of Korea

ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong (DDG 993)
ROKS Wang Geon (DDH 978)
1 Submarine
P-3C Orion
Super Lynx Mk.99
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit
Land Forces

Republic of the Philippines

Component Staff Personnel

Singapore

RSS Intrepid (F 69)
S-70B Seahawk

Thailand

Component Staff Personnel

Tonga

Infantry Platoon

United Kingdom

Component Staff Personnel

United States

USS Cape St. George (CG 71)
USS Chosin (CG 65)
USS Cowpens (CG 63)
USS Gary (FFG 51)
USS Independence (LCS 2)
USS Lake Champlain (CG 57)
USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112)
USS Peleliu (LHA 5)
USS Port Royal (CG 73)
USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60)
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
USS Rushmore (LSD 47)
USS Sampson (DDG 102)
USS Spruance (DDG 111)
USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187)
USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194)
USNS Mercy (T-AH 19)
USNS Navajo (T-ATF 169)
USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7)
USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52)
USCGC Waesche (WMSL 751)
3 Submarines
AH-1W Super Cobra
AH-64D Apache
B-52H Stratofortress
C-17 Globemaster III
C-2A Greyhound
CH-47F Chinook
CH-53 Sea Stallion
E-2C Hawkeye
E-3B/C Sentry
EA-6B Prowler
EP-3 ARIES
F/A-18C/D/E/F Hornet/Super Hornet
F/A-18G Growler
F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-15E Strike Eagle
F-22 Raptor
Hawker Hunters
HC-130 King
HH-60L/MH-60M Blackhawk
KC-135R Stratotanker
Learjet 35
MH-60R/S Seahawk
MH-53D/E Super Stallion
MQ-9 Predator
OH-58D Kiowa
P-8A Poseidon
P-3C Orion
UH-1Y Venom
UH-60 Blackhawk
Explosive Ordnance Mobile Units
Mobile Dive Salvage Units
Command, ground and logistic combat elements

Southern California Operation Area

Australia: Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon, Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoons, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Detachment

Canada: HMCS Nanaimo (MM 702), HMCS Whitehorse (MM 705), Diving Element

Chile: Counter Mine Unit

Japan: Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoon

Netherlands: Diving Team

New Zealand: Mine Counter Measure Dive Platoon, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Detachment

Peru: Diving Detachment

United Kingdom: Maritime Ordnance Disposal Unit

United States: USS Anchorage (LPD 23), USS Champion (MCM 4), USS Coronado (LCS 4), USS Scout (MCM 8 ), Mobile Dive Salvage Units, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Units, Mine Counter Measure Dive Units, Marine Mammal Systems

China’s RIMPAC Debut: What’s in It for the US?

"Despite concerns that Beijing’s participation constitutes a net loss for Washington, the U.S. can in fact derive substantial value from including China while building global maritime security partnerships."
Andrew S. EricksonAustin M. Strange

July 3, 2014
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As tensions simmer in the East and South China Seas, clouds of doubt overhang China’s presence at Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, it is hosted biannually by the U.S. Navy. But despite concerns that Beijing’s participation constitutes a net loss for Washington, the U.S. can in fact derive substantial value from including China while building global maritime security partnerships. This “big tent” approach demonstrates willingness to weather regional turbulence to advance a longer-term push for Beijing to recalibrate its contributions to global maritime security to levels commensurate with its growing power.

After a 16-day transpacific voyage beginning on China’s eastern shores, a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) four-ship flotilla docked at Pearl Harbor on June 24,. Running from June 26-August 1, RIMPAC includes a collection of 49 surface vessels, six submarines, over 200 aircraft, and over 25,000 personnel from 22 countries. 1,100 Chinese personnel and four ships are participating, including missile destroyer Haikou, missile frigate Yueyang, supply ship Qiandaohu, and hospital ship Peace Ark, as well as two helicopters, a commando unit, a diving squad, and a medical team. Notably, China’s task force is the largest of any nation after America’s. It first rendezvoused in Guam with ships from the navies of Singapore, Brunei (another first-time participant) and the U.S., with whom it then sailed into Pearl Harbor.

China’s task force will be moving smartly throughout the six-week exercise. Its activities encompass light weapons and artillery fire, damage control, integrated exercises, supply sealifting, surface platform drills, coordinated interceptions and landings, joint warship and helicopter assaults, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, diving, medical exchanges and cultural activities. The initial portion of China’s participation, from June 25-July 8, reportedly includes mostly “soft” activities, from press conferences to basketball games. From July 9-30, it will focus on maritime drills. As has become customary practice before, during and after their anti-piracy escorts off Somalia, PLAN ships will conduct friendly visits following its RIMPAC participation. After a port call in San Diego, the flotilla will conduct medical operations in Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.

For China, the manifold benefits of RIMPAC participation are plain. First, strong performances off Hawaii will burnish the PLAN’s domestic and international reputation as a dynamic, world-class navy. Second, as with Gulf of Aden anti-piracy, other than providing a rare window to showcase maritime prowess cooperatively, RIMPAC offers a useful platform for China to learn about the technologies, equipment, personnel, tactics, and procedures employed by the world’s leading navies. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) forecasts “China will probably build multiple aircraft carriers over the next 15 years” in addition to the 2012-commissioned Liaoning. As a result, surface vessels such as frigates and destroyers—indispensable components of any future carrier strike groups—desperately need blue water experience. That RIMPAC has traditionally involved deck aviation operations certainly adds an extra layer of enticement for China. Third, given the uncertain future of Somali anti-piracy operations, engaging in the U.S.-hosted exercise offers particularly useful pretext for deploying a variety of PLAN platforms, equipment, and servicemen outside of East Asia to accumulate experience and sharpen skills, many of which are applicable to missions closer to home. Finally, given the diplomatic damage wrought by Beijing’s increasingly assertive tactics in the East and South China Seas, RIMPAC is the PLAN’s latest “Far Seas foil” that exudes cooperation and progressiveness, temporarily offsetting destructive themes surrounding island and maritime disputes. While China certainly cares about its image abroad, it appears willing to pay image costs to uphold and further its self-described core national interests, including territorial claims. For cooperative international platforms such as RIMPAC, the lack of an “image-interest” tradeoff makes participation a no-brainer for China.

America’s desire for China’s RIMPAC participation appears more complex. “Sunk costs” surely factor in. China’s participation has been years in the making, the result of considerable sweat equity invested by American and Chinese officials. Washington’s formal invitation to Beijing was delivered by then-Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in 2012. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus reiterated America’s welcome during his visit to Beijing in November 2012. Yet these gestures were the fruit of protracted efforts—eclipsed by strategic tensions on multiple occasions—to engage China more directly at sea.



More controversial is China’s participation amid maritime tensions across the Asia-Pacific. The PLAN’s arrival at Pearl Harbor has understandably been described as “awkward” amid escalatory Chinese behavior towards U.S. allies. Since 2012, China has employed a medley of unconventional “salami-slicing” tactics to incrementally assert its sovereignty in and over nearby and not-so-nearby waters, including the establishment of a Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea, as well as the deployment of oil rigs and scaling up of land reclamation “island-building” near and on the Spratly Islands. Outside the maritime domain, a spate of recent unprecedented cyber activities and espionage accusations has further soured the bilateral security relationship. Given this context, U.S. politicians and analysts alike contest the notion of rewarding China with RIMPAC initiation. The same critics charge the current administration with overvaluing the need to “reassure” China at the expense of American and allied interests.

Confusion over China’s presence at RIMPAC is further fueled by perceptions that the costs of China’s presence exceed any benefits for the U.S. For example, neither American nor Chinese observers hold the illusion that China’s inclusion will remove core tensions between Beijing, Washington, and any of the Asian capitals currently embroiled in East Asian maritime disputes. In this way, China’s participation in RIMPAC is similar to other recent instances of Sino-American maritime cooperation. Like anti-piracy coordination in the Gulf of Aden, it represents progressive cooperation amid persistent tensions. However, it is not expected to resolve underlying problems that perpetually frustrate bilateral security ties.

Others contest China’s attendance based on concerns that Beijing will engage in an “intelligence bonanza” to steal American and allied naval technologies and know-how. They argue that the U.S. should have considered suspending China’s invitation partly because of potentially “massive Chinese intelligence penetration” at the expense of Washington and its allies.

The above reservations have generated anxiety, skepticism, and in some cases utter opposition towards China’s presence at RIMPAC 2014. Why, especially now, would China be invited to participate in an event designed for the U.S. and its allies to improve naval interoperability? The rationale becomes more coherent when considering both immediate and long-term consequences.

First, aforementioned security concerns related to Chinese espionage are reasonable given China’s demonstrated willingness and ability to collect secrets both directly and remotely. But they should be tempered with knowledge that (1) China has previously observed RIMPAC (in 1998) and (2) its participation in 2014 is limited primarily to low-sensitivity activities. Most PLAN engagements at RIMPAC are not unprecedented within Sino-American maritime relations, and many are primarily nontraditional operations aimed at non-state actors or scenarios not necessarily related to fighting other navies. Of course, relevant U.S. personnel must take great pains to deny China access to sensitive and classified information, though China’s exclusion from many exercises such as carrier operations signals that America remains on guard.

Second, China has collected, and will continue to collect, all the information it can regardless of whether or not it receives formal RIMPAC invitations. Consider the following well-documented examples: (1) The PLAN was obviously not invited to monitor a U.S. Navy exercise off Japan in November 2007, but a Song-class submarine popped up near the USS Kitty Hawk carrier strike group anyway. (2) “Chinese maritime intelligence collection operations increased in 2012,” Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command Admiral Locklear testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee in April 2013, “with historic first such missions into the Indian Ocean and within the U.S. exclusive economic zones off of Guam and Hawaii.” These types of missions—which the U.S. utterly lacks the ability to “disinvite” China from conducting—are likely being executed by some combination of the PLAN’s most capable ships engaged in active intelligence collection, surveillance, and reconnaissance for military purposes. Specifically, the Type 815 Dongdiao-class, which specializes in military signals intelligence processing and analysis, is likely bringing its giant soccer ball-like radomes to bear. Beijixing (pennant number 851), based in the East Sea Fleet, which has been spotted frequently near Japan, may have led initial efforts given its considerable experience. The two other hulls are Qimingxing (852), based in the North Sea Fleet, and Tianwangxing (853), in the South Sea Fleet. If the PLAN can already enter Hawaii’s EEZ with high-capacity intelligence collection vessel(s) unencumbered, is it really crossing the information rubicon to invite non-intelligence-dedicated vessels to participate in limited, cooperative exercises there under strictly-monitored conditions?

Third, like China, the U.S. Navy reaps instant benefits from the PLAN’s presence. These include six hard-earned weeks of engagement with Chinese sailors as well as moderate insights into present Chinese naval strengths and weaknesses. The PLAN sent some of its most advanced surface platforms, nearly all of which have deployed for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The long duration and integrated nature of RIMPAC will expose Chinese naval personnel and equipment more than previous joint exercises have. This contact is essential if the U.S., Chinese and other navies plan to build on previous nontraditional maritime security cooperation such as Gulf of Aden anti-piracy and safeguarding destruction of Syrian chemical weapons.

Four, the PLAN’s inclusion is a small-but-tangible counterweight to negative depictions of the U.S. Asia-Pacific Rebalance, which many Chinese view as a scarcely disguised containment strategy. It capitalizes on China’s desire to offset its deteriorating reputation in East Asia through cooperative initiatives like RIMPAC. Moreover, as RIMPAC’s host, America is effectively providing a modest communication platform for the navies of China and its rival claimants Japan and the Philippines. China currently is embroiled in territorial disputes with seven RIMPAC invitees including Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The biannual exercise is a rare window for forward-looking engagement among all parties. China’s participation does not harm U.S. credibility, and America is using other means to assure its allies in their home waters.

Instead, RIMPAC offers a powerful comparison. In the warm waters off Hawaii, it juxtaposes America’s proactive, progressive global maritime partnerships approach with Beijing’s increasingly parochial obduracy—making it clear for all to see that China is essentially “containing itself.” Beijing’s naval neighbors will increasingly have reason to ask pointedly why the same navy that worked professionally with them off Honolulu is harassing them closer to home—often in coordination with a unifying China Coast Guard whose hull numbers are projected to grow 25% over the next few years . Additionally, while critics have argued against China’s inclusion based on its assertiveness in the East and South China Seas, RIMPAC is not a region-specific exercise. As in the past, the U.S. has invited navies from five continents to the 2014 exercise. China’s participation further signals that America’s maritime posture is truly global, and that Sino-American military relations do not hinge merely on events in one region or issue domain such as the East and South China Sea disputes. Uninviting China’s Navy, as happened recently with Thai observers, would greatly undermine this perspective while playing into the hands of Beijing’s able propaganda apparatus.

Fifth, and most importantly, China’s attendance at RIMPAC benefits America’s long-term efforts to make China more accountable as a global maritime actor. Beyond the immediate benefits to the U.S. Navy outlined above, inviting China (and not cancelling its invitation despite Beijing’s growing assertiveness since 2012) is symbolically significant. America wants China to “carry its weight” in the realm of global maritime governance despite tensions in East Asia. Other states will share this desire more explicitly if America’s ability to police the world’s oceans faces growing constraints in coming years. Despite its great power aspirations, China remains a “passive power” that has yet to embrace the role and responsibilities of a world-class power. Moreover, for now China’s economic and military might does not translate into proportional amounts of real influence in world affairs.

As the Gulf of Aden experience has demonstrated, encouraging China to participate more actively in global governance by integrating it into existing maritime governance mechanisms is realistic. However, it requires the efforts of multiple states as well as substantial flexibility and retrofitting. American officials have acknowledged inevitable friction in the bilateral relationship, but rightly dismiss the notion that it must preclude pragmatic cooperation between the world’s two largest navies and their partners to secure global sea lines of communication (SLOC), combat nontraditional threats such as natural disasters, piracy, terrorism, and other forms of maritime crime. After taking a commanding lead in securing the world’s oceans throughout the post-Cold War era, Washington is gradually setting precedents that will press Beijing to increasingly provide public goods commensurate with its naval abilities and ambition. RIMPAC 2014 suggests that American naval leaders are pursuing an unspoken strategy of “competitive coexistence” wherein unavoidable tension does not preclude pragmatic engagement designed towards balancing states’ contributions to international security and their abilities and aspirations.

And so, the U.S. has wisely, warily welcomed China to RIMPAC. It should continue to strive for competitive coexistence with China on the high seas by encouraging Chinese maritime public goods provision even while opposing its bullying behavior in the East and South China Seas. Fortunately, early signals suggest that China’s 2014 invitation will not be its last. It would be shortsighted to fixate on “who wins” at RIMPAC 2014, which is merely one event in the broad and developing waterfront of Sino-American relations. U.S. policy objectives vis-à-vis China and international security are far larger and deeper than a biannual exercise. Desires on the part of America and other states for greater Chinese contributions to global maritime security constitute a rising tide even as problematic whirlpools remain.



Andrew S. Erickson, an associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College, blogs at [Tienes que estar registrado y conectado para ver este vínculo]

Austin M. Strange is a Ph.D. student at Harvard University.

Image: Flickr/U.S. Navy/CC by 2.0

Watch 42 warships cruise the Pacific in formation during RIMPAC 2014

By Brandon Turkus RSS feed Google+

Posted Jul 30th 2014 5:03PM
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RIMPAC 2014 Armada

Exercise Rim of the Pacific, more commonly known as RIMPAC, is the single largest naval exercise on the face of our lovely blue marble. This year, the biennial exercises brought together 22 countries, 55 ships, over 200 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft and roughly 25,000 soldiers, sailors and marines.

Those numbers are just fine and dandy, but perhaps you'd rather see what just a portion of that force looks like. Well, here you go. This monumental fleet is made up of 42 vessels, and is being led by the Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Ronald Reagan. It's impossible to know from this video which ships (aside from the Reagan) and countries are represented in this flotilla, although Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, China, South Korea, Singapore all sent vessels to this year's exercise.

Scroll down for a video of the entire impressive formation. RIMPAC 2014 concludes on August 1.

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The World's Largest Naval Exercise, RIMPAC 2014: On the Ground

By Ryan Faith
July 30, 2014 |

A few days ago, VICE News posted photos from the world’s largest maritime exercise, RIMPAC 14.

RIMPAC — the Rim of the Pacific Exercise — has involved military representatives and units from 23 nations who have come together over the last month for a swath of different training and liaison activities. While the vast majority of RIMPAC is naval procedure, part of the naval portfolio includes amphibious operations. And if there are amphibious operations, then it means there are going to be a few ground pounders running about, either doing or getting on their way to do decidedly terrestrial things.

It may be a little bit counterintuitive, but no navy can really escape the fact that humans are not aquatic creatures, so navies always retain some sliver of a relationship to ground forces, if nothing else because they must eventually dock. However, the reverse isn’t always true — people are fairly well adapted to walking around and inhabiting the solid ground beneath them, and don't necessarily need to engage in maritime activities to live or be relevant.

The practical consequence is that ground forces contingent at a naval exercise isn’t necessarily gratuitous or remarkably unusual, but a naval presence at a ground exercise is purely optional.

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In the final amphibious landing exercise, the first ground forces to hit the beach were commandos from the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (read, Japanese Army). The commandos came ashore immediately following theoretical strikes on the beach from fixed-wing aircraft and a run from US Marine Corps attack helicopters.

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In this exercise, the Japanese commandos were dropped into the sea, along with their boats, from MH-53 helicopters hovering just a few feet over the water. Inserting a force into the water from the air is relatively uncommon, at least compared to other shifts between operational environments, such as air assaults, beach landings, and so on. This kind of insertion is mostly limited to small, mobile units such as reconnaissance, commandos, or special forces.

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Following the reconnaissance and airstrikes, the first assault wave hits the beach in the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) shown in the background. These vehicles are not particularly heavily armed or armored, trades necessary to make them sufficiently buoyant to be an effective amphibious means of getting troops onto land. They can carry up to 25 armed marines to shore, where they disembark, engage any forces present, and establish a first, tentative perimeter.

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The Australian soldier shown above is relaying information to Australian and US personnel freshly arrived in the second assault. Each wave brings more infantry to the beach, supported by their AAVs.

Additional pushes continue further inland to establish a larger perimeter and bring more territory under their control. However, this beachhead is vulnerable to determined counterattack until heavier vehicles, such as tanks and artillery, can be moved ashore to support forces holding the area.

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Once a beachhead has been secured, forces can move onshore en masse, allowing for the start of more traditional ground force warfighting activities, such as fighting in cities (known in US militaryspeak as Military Operations in Urban Terrain or MOUT).

While RIMPAC did involve some ground forces, as the main focus of the exercise is naval, most of these exercises were relatively restrained and focused heavily on practicing multilateral operations, rather than simulating major combat operations.

Follow Ryan Faith on Twitter: @Operation_Ryan

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