The RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercise, which took place from June to August 2024, saw several advanced anti-ship missiles being fired during ship-sinking drills involving the US Navy and Royal Australian Navy. Professor Alessio Patalano, a war and strategy expert at King’s College London, stated that these long-range missiles extend the range at which potential enemies can be targeted while maintaining stealth.
During the exercise, the US Navy’s F/A-18 fighter jet used a Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRSAM) to strike the ex-Tarawa, a decommissioned amphibious transport dock. The Royal Australian Navy destroyer HMAS Sydney also hit the same target with a Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The LRSAM and NSM are both precision-guided, stealthy cruise missiles capable of hitting targets at long ranges.
The US Navy’s USS Fitzgerald tested the Naval Strike Missile during RIMPAC, and it has previously been fired from a US littoral combat ship and land-based versions have been successfully tested by the US Marine Corps. The ex-Tarawa was one of two surface vessels sunk during the exercise; the other being the ex-USS Dubuque, an amphibious transport dock.
These drills provided “real-world experience” for the participating forces, including those from South Korea, Malaysia, and the Netherlands. US Navy Vice Adm. John Wade stated that the exercises sharpened skills, allowed for learning between nations, and showed the commitment to keeping the Indo-Pacific region safe and open.
John Bradford, a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs fellow, noted that the RIMPAC tests reflect the kind of conflict the US is preparing for in the region, with major power naval conflicts likely being dominated by long-range weapons. China took note of these plans before the ship-sinking exercises began, expressing concern about the development and strength of its maritime power.
China operates three Type 075 amphibious assault ships, which displace around 36,000 tons, with a fourth being readied. A larger successor, the Type 076, is also under construction. The Global Times, a Chinese state-run media outlet, acknowledged that the choice of the USS Tarawa as the sinking target reflects US and its allies’ concerns about China’s maritime power but argued that such an outdated ship is not relevant in comparison to modern military equipment.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/27/asia/rimpac-air-force-b2-bomber-low-cost-bomb-sinking-exercise-intl-hnk-ml/index.html