Source: Patch One Knife
Writer/ Hu Yi knife
No sooner had the NATO summit ended than the world's largest multinational maritime exercise began.
This step set by the United States all highlights how much it attaches to maintaining military hegemony in the Pacific.
With 26 countries, 38 surface ships, four submarines, some 170 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel participating, several unprecedented new features are being exposed.
Judging from these new characteristics, the United States is strengthening its maritime joint operations capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Strengthening this capability is clearly directed at the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait.
The way the United States plays in the "Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise" is also getting closer and closer to a real war.
1
The U.S. Third Fleet announced that Rim of the Pacific 2022 will officially launch on June 30.
According to the official theme, RIMPAC 2022 will exercise multiple capabilities to highlight the inherent flexibility of maritime power "and help promote a free and open Indo-Pacific."
It seems that these words are not very eye-catching, but the US media highlighted in the report that in addition to the hardcore allies of the United States in NATO, the members of the "Quadripartite Security Dialogue" mechanism of the United States, Japan, India and Australia participated in the exercise, five countries around the South China Sea sent troops to participate, and members of the "Augustus" security alliance of the United States, Britain, and Australia were also present.
Even Tonga, a small country in the South Pacific, sent people to join the exercise.
The US media said through "analysts" that the military exercise was sending a message to China that "China's expansion in the western Pacific will be blocked and defeated."
Therefore, the purpose of the Americans in conducting this "Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise" is obvious.
The U.S. military sent a fleet headed by the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Lincoln (CVN-72). Since January of this year, the Lincoln has been operating in the Indo-Pacific region and conducting intensive military exercises.
Moreover, the first F-35C squadron of the US Marine Corps is also deployed on the "Lincoln" aircraft carrier, which makes the US aircraft carrier have a new ship-based combat capability, stealth carrier-based aircraft on board, so that the "Nimitz" class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier sea and air combat capabilities are greatly improved, especially the ability to launch a sudden attack is stronger.
However, in the report, the US media highlighted that "the core allies and partners of the United States and Asia have also sent a strong lineup." Australia, for example, sent its current amphibious assault ship, the USS Canberra, the largest displacement. The Indian Navy flew the STEALTH FRIGATE INS Satpura.
However, in the eyes of the United States, the lineup sent by Japan and South Korea this time is more eye-catching.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force dispatched a lineup that included the modified Izumo quasi-aircraft carrier.
The current "Izumo" already has the ability to be an aircraft carrier, and can carry the American F-35B vertical short-range take-off and landing stealth fighter, so that it can become a real "lightning carrier".
The "Izumo" also participated in the "Ring Tai Military Exercise" for the first time after the modification. Last October, the F-35B of the U.S. Marine Corps in Japan completed its first take-off and landing test aboard the Izumo. In this "Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise," the "Izumo" did not carry an F-35B carrier-based aircraft, but some analysts believe that it is very likely that the US military's F-35B combat opportunity will take off and land on the Japanese "Izumo" during the exercise, thereby improving the joint combat capability of the two sides.
The South Korean Navy's participation in the event is the largest in the past. This is the 17th time that the South Korean Navy has participated in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, and it is also the largest force dispatched since the first exercise in 1990.
South Korea's dispatches included the amphibious assault ship Maro Island, which had a displacement of 15,000 tons, the equivalent of a quasi-aircraft carrier with a direct access deck, a 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer, and a 4,400-ton destroyer Bunmu Dawang. In addition, there is a Sun Yuan-class diesel-electric submarine with a displacement of about 1800 tons, a P-3 anti-submarine patrol aircraft, 2 "Bobcat" helicopters, and some equipment and personnel of the Marine Corps.
Some analysts believe that the South Korean Navy dispatched such a large lineup to participate in the "Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise" because south Korea's Yoon Seok-yue government wants to show the United States that South Korea can play a bigger and more role in the US-RoK alliance. From the NATO summit to the "RIMPAC exercise", the Yin Xiyue government is supporting the "Indo-Pacific strategy" of the United States.
2
When observing the "RIMPAC Exercise", compared with a variety of dazzling weapons, the United States has improved its joint combat capabilities with other partners, which is where this military exercise is more worthy of attention. Previously, American researchers said that if Japan fully utilizes the potential of the F-35B fighter jet in island operations, it will help extend its air power from the East China Sea all the way to the edge of the airspace of Taiwan Island.
It is worth noting that before traveling to Hawaii to participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, from June 19 to 24, Japan's Izumo quasi-aircraft carrier and Australia's "Canberra" and the United States 'Reagan' nuclear-powered aircraft carrier just conducted a joint tactical exercise.
The navies of the three countries have also strengthened military ties with the Indian navies, and since 2020, the navies of the United States, Japan, India and Australia have conducted two major joint military exercises, the most famous of which is the "Malabar" series of exercises. The RIMPAC provides the four countries with more opportunities for in-depth military exercises.
In addition to the four countries of the Quadrilateral Mechanism and South Korea, the five South China Sea countries participating in the exercise include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.
It is said that the content of this "RIMPAC exercise" mainly includes anti-submarine, anti-ship, and air superiority and other subjects. In addition to traditional sea and air weapons platforms such as aircraft carriers, destroyers, carrier-based fighters, maritime patrol aircraft, and missiles, there is another outstanding feature of this "RIMPAC Exercise" that deserves attention.
The U.S. military will also demonstrate some of the latest weapons systems in the exercise, including unmanned surface ships. The recently established 1st Unmanned Surface Ships Division of the Pacific Fleet of the Navy will send four unmanned boats to participate in all the exercise activities in the three phases of the exercise. Unmanned boats are low-cost surface combat platforms that help improve intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance capabilities.
This move suggests that the U.S. Navy is integrating unmanned warships into its overall naval deployment in the Increasingly Competitive Pacific region.
The organizers of the "Rimpace Exercise" said on social media that the three unmanned warships of the "Nomad", "Ranger" and "Sea Hunter" crossed the Pacific Ocean to participate in the 2022 Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise, providing more combat strength and capabilities for the Navy's traditional combat capabilities, increasing the tactical and strategic advantages of the fleet, and providing a wider range of capabilities and deployment options.
The report said that the three unmanned warships were developed through the U.S. Navy's "Ghost Fleet Overlord" program. The U.S. Department of Defense handed over a total of four unmanned warships, including the three, to the Navy earlier this year.
Although the role of these new experimental unmanned warships is not yet strictly defined, at the very least they can perform tasks such as electronic warfare, intelligence gathering, anti-submarine or mine clearance, and even in confrontations. Moreover, these unmanned warships can support long-range target search and sensing in disputed maritime areas, transmitting information to traditional warships to track enemy ship activities.
Play the role of "intelligence gatherer".
In a previous press release on RIMPAC 2022, the U.S. Navy made it clear that the exercise was designed to improve "the joint combat capability, strike resistance and flexibility required by joint forces to deter and defeat acts of aggression by major powers at all stages of conflict."
Who this "great power" simulation is aimed at is very interesting.
Therefore, many analysts believe that "the US Navy has used this exercise as an important training platform for dealing with 'major power conflicts'."
Moreover, when it comes to preparing for "great power conflict", the third littoral combat group of the US Marine Corps, which debuted in the "Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise", is the response of the United States to deal with the "pressing threat" in the western Pacific.
In March, the Third Marine Regiment of the Third Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps was reorganized and the Third Littoral Regiment was established. Compared to its predecessor, the Coastal Regiment will consist of a smaller, mobile, expeditionary forward base detachment equipped with anti-ship capabilities as part of the U.S. Marine Corps' Unit 2030 design effort.
From U.S. Defense Secretary Austin to Marine Corps officials, they see China as a "pressing threat."
According to the U.S. Marine Corps' plan for 2030, the U.S. military will eventually have three such "littoral regiments." In addition to the Third Littoral Regiment, which is now deployed in Hawaii, two others will be deployed to U.S. military bases in Guam and Okinawa, Japan.
The main mission of the Littoral Regiment is to quickly control critical waterways or islands in a complex operational environment, and to assist the Navy in the use or guidance of anti-ship missiles to sink enemy ships. Therefore, although the Littoral Regiment is still developing, it should be a force worthy of attention in this military exercise.
3
An anonymous military expert told "Patch one knife" that the scale of this year's "Rim of the Pacific Military Exercise" is indeed relatively large, but compared with the past, the biggest change is not in the scale, but in the direction.
Rim of the Pacific was founded during the Cold War, and there were not many countries involved at the beginning, and they were basically aimed at the Soviet Union. After the end of the Cold War, the RIMPAC began to transform, turning to not specifically targeting a certain country, even if there is an imaginary enemy during the exercise, it will not clearly say the name of the country, but will use red, green, blue to refer to.
In fact, the RIMPAC exercise is divided into two parts, one of which is participated by more than 20 countries. With so many countries involved, it's hard to tell the truth, and it's hard to point to a country together, most of which are exercises for non-traditional security and humanitarian relief.
The other part is carried out by the United States and its allies, which is not large, but the direction is very obvious, that is, it is aimed at China.
Why is this change occurring? The expert believes that, first, this time it is mainly affected by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In the past, when there was no real security threat, military exercises in most countries were basically routine and procedural. However, after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the nature was different, so that more and more countries began to pay attention to their own security.
Second, after the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the United States, Japan, and other countries have linked Ukraine to the situation in the Taiwan Strait at every turn, saying that "Ukraine today is tomorrow's East Asia." Such remarks and security anxieties have had a considerable impact on the US Asia-Pacific allies.
Therefore, whenever a conflict may break out in the Asia-Pacific region is mentioned now, some people immediately "sit in the seat of the right number," associated with the conflict in the Taiwan Strait, and then render "the People's Liberation Army adopts armed means to complete reunification." Against this background, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and other countries have conducted exercises with the United States on the background of actual combat and the imaginary enemy.
Third, there are new changes in the shape of war today. We have noted that in this exercise, the United States, Japan, the Rok, and Australia have all dispatched the most advanced weapons and equipment of various countries, and have also used a lot of unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned ships, all of which are to form a large-scale combat network at sea and prepare for the United States and its allies to coordinate operations, especially in the Asia-Pacific region and the western Pacific.
For example, large ships like the U.S. Lincoln, Japan's Izumo, and South Korea and Australia can take off and land F-35B fighters. In the event of a military conflict, the United States and its allies can share platforms to achieve the goal of "1+1 is greater than 2".
However, if the exercise is an exercise, even if it is carried out in the context of actual combat, it does not mean that once a war breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, the United States and its allies can participate in the operation. After all, the RIMPAC exercise is a professional activity of the military, and the decision to participate in the war at that time is a political decision.
Even in this military exercise, they did not dare to say explicitly, "This is aimed at China" or "it is to deal with the conflict in the Taiwan Strait." It's just that in this particular context, people tend to think so.
The expert said that for this "RIMPAC exercise", on the one hand, we must closely follow the exercise tactically, after all, this reflects the judgment of the United States and its allies on future wars. Grasp the advantages and disadvantages of the opponent in time, and understand the opponent better; On the other hand, strategically, we don't have to take this military exercise too seriously.
After all, no matter how many participating countries there are, no matter how advanced the weapons and equipment they dispatch, it is just an exercise.
Indeed, from a comprehensive point of view, this year's "RIMPAC" military exercise is larger in scale, more troops, and more complete in equipment, but it more reflects the sinister intention of the United States to use the exercise to pull together gangs and factions to engage in "great power competition," and reflects the political plot of the United States to consolidate its dominant position and promote the Indo-Pacific strategy.
Image from the web