The Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), commonly known as RIMPAC, is the world's largest multinational maritime exercise, led by the United States and held biennially. Launched in 1971, it aims to protect major sea lanes among Pacific Rim nations, enhance joint response capabilities against various maritime threats, and improve interoperability and operational capabilities of multinational combined forces.
With around 30 countries participating under U.S. leadership, RIMPAC is the world's largest maritime maneuver exercise, conducted across waters stretching from the U.S. West Coast to Hawaii. The drill is known for its combat-level intensity, using decommissioned cruisers and amphibious assault ships as target vessels for live-fire exercises involving naval guns, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes — sometimes resulting in the actual sinking of the target ships.
South Korea's Navy has built up experience in firing various major weapons systems through RIMPAC, while strengthening its operational capabilities through long-range voyages and combat-level multinational maneuver drills. When it first participated in 1990, its forces consisted of just two 1,500-ton frigates — the now-decommissioned Seoul (FF-952) and Masan (FF-955). At the time, foreign navies referred to South Korea's Navy as the "Cutie Navy."
However, since first observing the exercise in 1988 and participating consistently from 1990, the standing of the Republic of Korea Navy has risen dramatically. At the time of its first participation, there were considerable concerns over whether 1,500-ton frigates could safely cross the Pacific. More than two decades later, South Korea now contributes the second-largest force after host nation the United States.
South Korea's Navy now boasts powerful assets including the 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer (DDG) — held by only a handful of countries worldwide — along with the 4,400-ton destroyer (DDH-II), the 14,500-ton large transport ship (LPH), the 1,800-ton submarine (SS-II), the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, and the Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicle (KAAV) operated by the Marine Corps. Thanks to this buildup, navies around the world now call South Korea's Navy the "Beautiful Navy."
In the most recent exercise, the 2024 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, about 840 Navy and Marine Corps personnel took part, including a Marine Corps amphibious company and special warfare flotilla. Assets deployed included the Aegis destroyer Yulgok Yi I, the destroyer Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, the amphibious ship Cheonjabong, the Son Won-il-class submarine Lee Beom-seok, the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, the LYNX maritime operations helicopter, and six Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicles (KAAVs).
It was the second-largest contribution after the United States. Admiral Samuel Paparo, then commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, lavished praise on South Korea's Navy, saying, "It is a highly capable navy, and we are grateful to be able to train alongside Korea." A total of 29 countries — including the United States, Japan, Canada, and Australia — participated, fielding 40 surface ships, three submarines, around 150 aircraft, and approximately 25,000 personnel.
As its participating forces have expanded significantly, South Korea's Navy has carried out roles such as maritime battle commander for units under carrier strike groups or expeditionary strike groups, and in the 2022 exercise, it took on the role of expeditionary strike group commander for the first time. In 2024, as Deputy Commander of the Combined Force Maritime Component Command, it commanded combined assets including a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and a Maya-class Aegis destroyer of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force.
In particular, the standing of South Korea's Navy will rise even further at the upcoming 2026 Rim of the Pacific Exercise. For the first time, it will take on the mission of commanding multinational naval forces, having been assigned the role of Combined Force Maritime Component Commander. In this exercise, the Navy will effectively command around 40 surface ships and submarines dispatched from some 30 countries.
RIMPAC's command structure is organized under the Combined Task Force Commander (the U.S. Third Fleet Commander), the top-ranking position, with subordinate elements including the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander, the Combined Force Air Component Commander, and the Combined and Joint Special Operations Forces. The Combined Force Maritime Component Commander role newly assumed by the Navy is a key position that oversees and controls the maritime operations of multinational naval forces participating in the exercise, under the direction of the Combined Task Force Commander.
This year, South Korea will dispatch the latest Aegis destroyer Jeongjo the Great, the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, and the 3,000-ton submarine Dosan Ahn Chang-ho. In line with the elevated role, command of the RIMPAC training squadron will also be entrusted to a rear admiral of fleet commander rank. "We plan to successfully carry out the Combined Force Maritime Component Commander mission and demonstrate the Republic of Korea Navy's outstanding operational command capabilities to the world," a Navy official said.
Not content with this, the Navy aims to further expand its command reach by taking on the role of Deputy Commander of the Combined Task Force — the highest position open to a foreign military rather than the U.S. military — after 2028.
