Japan and China participating for the first time to RIMPAC multinational maritime military exercise

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Defence & Security News - Japan
 
 
Friday, July 4, 2014 01:42 PM
 
Japan and China participating for the first time to RIMPAC multinational maritime military exercise.
Soldiers of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) involved for the first time in the amphibious military exercises RIMPAC 2014 at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii located in Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu on July 1 during the Rim of the Pacific joint naval exercise.
     
Soldiers of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) involved for the first time in the amphibious military exercises RIMPAC 2014 at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii located in Kaneohe Bay on the island of Oahu on July 1 during the Rim of the Pacific joint naval exercise.
25,000 Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Soldiers from 22 nations are involved for the RIMPAC 2014
     
The Japanese unit that participated in the drill was the first amphibious regiment of the JGSDF modeled after the United States Marine Corps. The regiment would be responsible for retaking the islands if they were to be invaded by the People's Liberation Army.

With China also taking part in the RIMPAC exercises for the first time, sending four PLA warships, the official newswire Xinhua stated that the drill launched on July 1 was probably for the JGSDF to demonstrate its capability to carry out amphibious warfare in front of Chinese military personnel.

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-two nations, 49 surface ships, 6 submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will participate. Units from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, 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, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States will participate.

In addition to two countries participating for the first time at RIMPAC, Brunei and China, U.S. Forces have hospital ships taking part in the exercise for the first time. United States also added a Special Operations component commander, which is another first. Some new equipment are also used for the first time, like the Independence variant of the Littoral Combat Ship, with LCS-2 operating in the waters near Hawaii and LCS-4 off the coast of San Diego.