RIMPAC 2004:
Demonstrating Shared Resolve for
Regional Peace and Security
Compiled by Asia-Pacific Defense FORUM Staff

	Ships from Asia-Pacific nations — Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United States — moor together in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as part of the multinational maritime exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2004. RIMPAC enhances regional security by improving cooperation and proficiency of maritime and air forces of participating Pacific Rim nations. Photo by PH2 Richard J. Brunson, USN
	Officers and sailors aboard Republic of Korea destroyer Chungmugong Yi Sunshin (DDG 975) stand in ranks on the flight deck during a ceremony welcoming them to Pearl Harbor Naval Station for RIMPAC 2004. Photo by JO2 Devin Wright, USN
	Republic of Korea Navy Cmdr. Lee Jin-Gyu, Commanding Officer of ROKS Changbogo (SS 061), addresses his crew, crew members of the USS Columbus (SSN-762), and members of the Korean American Society of Hawaii in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, before participating in RIMPAC 2004. Accompanying Cmdr. Lee Jin-Gyu is U.S. Navy Capt. Dennis Murphy, Commodore, Submarine Squadron Seven. Photo by PH2 Justin P. Nesbitt, USN
	The Honorable Robert Hill, Australian Minister of Defence and Senator for South Australia, and Mrs. Diana Hill accompany Adm. Walter F. Doran, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, on a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial during RIMPAC 2004. Photo by PH3 Victoria A. Tullock, USN
	Vice Adm. Jorge Huerta Dunsmore, Commander of Naval Operations, Chilean Navy, arrives on the flight deck of the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Photo by PH3 Mark J. Rebilas, USN
	Canadian Navy Cmdr. Daniel Sing, Commanding Officer of the patrol frigate HMCS Regina (FFH 334), welcomes Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Capt. N. Matsuura aboard the HMCS Regina. Canadian Department of National Defence photo by Canadian Air Force Cpl. Joseph Morin

Seven Nations participated in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2004, the Asia-Pacific region’s largest international maritime exercise. Held in the waters around the Hawaiian Islands, RIMPAC 2004 was the 19th in a series of RIMPAC exercises conducted periodically since 1971. More than 40 ships, seven submarines, more than 100 aircraft (including 21 P-3C Orion anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft from Australia, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), the United Kingdom, and the U.S.), and almost 18,000 service members from seven nations participated in the July 2004 exercise. RIMPAC 2004 brought together maritime forces from six Pacific Rim nations — Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, the ROK, and the United States — along with the United Kingdom. Ecuador, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, and Thailand sent observers.

RIMPAC enhances the ability to respond to crises through interoperability and cooperation of participating units in combined operations. By enhancing interoperability, RIMPAC promotes stability in the Asia-Pacific region. This year’s exercise included surface combatant ships, submarines, tactical aircraft, and amphibious forces. Key training objectives included enhanced command and control among participants; maintenance of a common operational picture; coordination of surface, subsurface, and air assets in a multi-submarine and multi-threat environment; and air defense, including standardized reporting and detection to engage a mock target.

Exercise events involved tactical proficiency, non-combatant evacuation operations, amphibious assault, anti-submarine warfare, and humanitarian assistance. Throughout the exercise, individual units remained under operational control of their respective national commanders.

Opening Ceremony
Addressing participants at the opening ceremony for RIMPAC 2004, Commodore Roger Girouard, Commander, Canadian Fleet Pacific said, “. . . it is a real pleasure to be here representing the Canadian team and to be back in RIMPAC in a big way after a hiatus of two years, because of Canada’s commitments overseas to the [Global] War on Terror. We have four ships and aircraft participating [in RIMPAC 2004] . . . the key for us is the opportunity . . . to see us come together, share the lessons of all the operations we have been off to do, and work the agenda of coalition operations together — breaking communication challenges and most importantly sharing the knowledge and conversation that we so dearly enjoy as naval officers and seaman. RIMPAC for us is an opportunity . . . in my case it’s building a deployable task group. RIMPAC gives me an opportunity to do that.”-

Commenting on the importance of RIMPAC 2004, ROK Navy Capt. Lee Gun Doo, Commander of the Republic of Korea RIMPAC Training Group, told participants, “The value of RIMPAC exercise and the meaning of participation are more important than any combined exercises for the Republic of Korea Navy. RIMPAC 2004 is a wonderful opportunity to develop intimate cooperation and to imbue the solid allied military relationships with nations along the rim of the Pacific.”

Also addressing the importance of the exercise, U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Michael McCabe, Commander, Third Fleet, said, “I want to emphasize the nature of the Global War on Terrorism, particularly for those countries that border on the Pacific. Fully into the 95th percentile of global economy’s trade by volume travels over sea-lanes. Some 46,000 ships of size pass through 4,000 ports, and frankly, we don’t have the greatest picture of what happens on the sea. We have a very good picture of what happens in the air, but not the same picture of what happens on the sea. So, . . . it’s very important, particularly in the Pacific, that the navies of the world get together and work together and can communicate well together as we focus on countering the terrorist threat, both in terms of the movement of weapons, people, drugs; illicit trade that will become more important as we look into the future. And so that’s a significant part of this exercise. It always has been and it’s never been more important than now.”

“ Exercises like RIMPAC enhance regional security while building partnerships with our global neighbors,” noted U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Patrick Walsh, Commander, Carrier Group Seven and Multinational Task Force Commander for RIMPAC 2004. “This is a unique opportunity to bring our Pacific allies together and train how to operate and respond as one collective force.” He explained that the world we live in today requires swift multinational attention and deliberate action when responding to crisis. “RIMPAC is important in that it focuses on building interoperability and cooperation with our allies and coalition partners in the region, so we are able to respond quickly and confidently to real world situations.”

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