The U.S. Leads the Largest "Rim of the Pacific" Exercise in History, Aiming to Sink a Giant Target Ship Amid Protests

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] The multinational joint military exercise "Rim of the Pacific - 2026" (RIMPAC 2026), led by the United States, officially commenced on the 24th in the waters near Hawaii. The exercise involves over 30 surface vessels and 5 submarines from 30 countries, as well as army units from 15 nations and approximately 200 aircraft, totaling 30,000 personnel, making it the largest in history. The U.S. newspaper Stars and Stripes reported that the "sinking" exercise is a highlight, with several decommissioned warships of over 10,000 tons being used as target ships to be sunk. However, the environmental pollution issues brought about by the exercise have raised concerns among local residents and environmental organizations in Hawaii, leading to protests on June 28.

The U.S. Naval Institute's website states that the 2026 "Rim of the Pacific" exercise is hosted by the U.S. Pacific Fleet, which has deployed a large fleet including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt, as well as several amphibious assault ships, missile cruisers, destroyers, and nuclear submarines. The South Korean Navy is commanding maritime combat forces for the first time in the "Rim of the Pacific" exercise, deploying its most advanced Aegis destroyer, the ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, the Daegu-class missile frigate ROKS Daejeon, the Cheon Wang Bong-class tank landing ship ROKS Cheon Wang Bong, and the conventional submarine ROKS Ahn Chang-ho, making it the country with the most deployed vessels outside of the U.S. However, some analysts believe that although the number of participating countries in this year's "Rim of the Pacific" exercise is high, the overall quality of the participating vessels has actually declined, indicating that most participating countries are merely "padding the numbers."

According to a press release from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, this year's "Rim of the Pacific" exercise will cover a wide range of training subjects, including amphibious operations, artillery and missile firing, anti-submarine warfare, air defense exercises, military medical support, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, anti-piracy, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, as well as diving and salvage operations. However, the core content of the exercise is the so-called "sinking" subject, which involves repeated attacks on target ships using various active anti-ship weapons from the U.S. and its allies.

According to information previously disclosed by U.S. media, the decommissioned vessels serving as target ships this year include the Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship USS Belleau Wood, the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Mobile Bay, and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Juno. Among them, the USS Belleau Wood has a displacement of up to 40,000 tons, equivalent to that of a medium aircraft carrier; the USS Mobile Bay is the first U.S. Aegis cruiser to serve as a target ship in the "sinking" exercise, highlighting the U.S. Navy's emphasis on this live-fire exercise. Some analysts believe that the "sinking" subject using decommissioned warships as target ships is typically only participated in by the U.S. military and its core allies, focusing on testing the actual strike effectiveness of their anti-ship weapons. Additionally, since these U.S. vessels have not been decommissioned for long, the U.S. military is also taking the opportunity to conduct baseline tests on the survivability of its active main battle vessels.

However, the environmental hazards posed by the "sinking" subject are drawing attention from various parties, with local residents and environmental organizations in Hawaii planning to hold protests on June 28. Although the U.S. Navy claims to have conducted "harmless" treatment of the target ships, including the removal of fuel and lubricants, various industrial products and heavy metals on board will continue to pollute the seabed environment once these ships sink. At the same time, the shockwaves from the explosions of the various weapons used in the "sinking" subject will not only harm nearby marine life but also produce a large amount of chemical byproducts, directly polluting the seawater and seabed sediments. (Chen Shan)