The world’s largest multinational maritime exercise, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), led by the United States, will be held in Hawaii from late June to July, with forces and equipment from 31 countries participating. On June 1, the Republic of Korea Navy’s newest Aegis-class destroyer, the “King Jeongjo,” will set sail for Hawaii to participate in this joint exercise.

File photo:South Korean warships and submarines made their appearance at a naval review, captured in waters off Busan, South Korea. Xinhua News Agency Photo

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Republic of Korea Navy stated that the destroyer ROKS Jeongjo the Great officially entered service in December 2024, and this marks the vessel’s first participation in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise. In addition, the submarine “Ahn Chang-ho,” the landing ship “Cheonji Peak,” P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, AW-159 naval combat helicopters, six Korean‑type amphibious assault armored vehicles, and over 700 service members will also take part in the exercise.

This year marks the 30th iteration of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise. The Republic of Korea Navy has participated since 1990, and this year represents its 19th deployment to the exercise. Notably, a South Korean officer will serve as the commander of the joint maritime force for the first time, responsible for directing multinational naval forces in the conduct of operational missions.

The U.S. Navy previously stated that the Rim of the Pacific naval exercise will commence on June 24.

According to the US "Stars and Stripes" previously quoted a press release of the US Navy's Third Fleet, this five-week exercise will dispatch about 40 surface ships, 5 submarines, 140 aircraft, and more than 25000 personnel to participate. However, the press release did not disclose the list of countries.

According to the report, the exercise will encompass amphibious operations, artillery and missile firing capabilities, anti-submarine warfare, air defense drills, military medical support, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counter-piracy, diving and salvage operations, explosive ordnance disposal, and mine clearance. As the U.S. Navy continues to experiment with integrating autonomous platforms into its operational missions, maritime and airborne unmanned systems will undoubtedly assume a more prominent role in future exercises.