June 26 marked the official start of the Multinational Exercise RIMPAC 2024. Led by the United States, the combined activity groups and brings together 29 nations, 40 ships, 150 aircraft of various types, three submarines and 25 thousand troops that will operate during the next few weeks around Hawaii. Among them, The Chilean Navy and the Peruvian Navy have been present again with the sending and participation of the Type 23 frigate Almirante Carlos Condell (FF-06) and the LPD type multipurpose vessel BAP Pisco (AMP-157)respectively.
First of all, the frigate Almirante Carlos Condell (FF-06) set sail on May 28 from Valparaíso to represent Chile in this new edition of the RIMPAC Exercise, adding to the long tradition of participation that the Chilean Navy has, since that first participation in 1996.
As a reason for his departure at the end of last May, the Chief of the Chilean Navy, Admiral Almirante De La Maza, stated that: “We have high expectations for this ship, which will participate in the RIMPAC exercise for the first time (…) we also have high expectations for the exercise itself, because it is the first time that the United States Navy has entrusted and asked us, some time ago, to take charge of the exercise at the highest level. We will serve as Second Commander of the exercise, which is a step above what we had been in 2018.”.
On behalf of the Peruvian Navy, the force has arranged for the participation of one of its Makassar-class LPD multipurpose vessels. The BAP Pisco set sail at the end of last May from the El Callao Naval Base bound for Hawaii. During its journey, it joined the so-called Multinational Group Sail, made up of various vessels that will also meet at RIMPAC 2024.
Among them, the multipurpose frigate Baden-Württemberg (F222) of the German Navy stood out, which carried out a series of exercises with the Peruvian ship as part of the preparations and readiness of the crews and aircraft; appreciating the landing on the German ship of one of the Sea King of the Peruvian Naval Aviation embarked on the BAP Pisco.
Once both ships have arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickman, their participation is expected to extend until August 2, the date on which RIMPAC 2024 Exercise will officially end. As announced at the opening ceremony of the activities, the participating naval and land forces are expected to carry out “…a wide range of capabilities, from disaster relief to maritime security operations, and from maritime control to complex warfighting. The relevant and realistic training and readiness curriculum includes amphibious operations, artillery, missiles, anti-submarine and air defence exercises, as well as military medicine, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, anti-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal, and diving and salvage operations.”.
*Photos: United States Navy – Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Gavin Arnoldhendershot / Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Courtney Strahan.
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