Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Algonquin and Vancouver are engaged in a series of live missile firings today, and tomorrow, Thursday, July 13, 2006 as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. These firings are being conducted on a military range just off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
Today HMCS Algonquin and Vancouver exercised anti-ship warfare engagements by firing against a surface target. Algonquin fired one long-range SM-2 anti-air missile in an anti-surface mode, while Vancouver fired two long-range Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Tomorrow the training will continue with an anti-air defence exercise against remote controlled target drones. HMCS Algonquin will fire two long-range SM-2 anti-air missiles and HMCS Vancouver will fire three medium range Sea Sparrows anti-air missiles. HMCS Regina, the third Canadian ship participating in the exercise, will also join Algonquin and Vancouver in a torpedo exercise later this week. On Saturday, July 15, six CF-18 fighter aircraft will exercise air-to-air and air-to-ground warfare by dropping 40 MK-82 inert bombs on a surface target, and on July 16, they will shoot eight air-to-air missiles against airborne target drones.
Live missile firings, gunnery and torpedo firings are some of the highlights of the biannual RIMPAC exercise. Conducted on a military range, these exercises are used to measure and analyze combat team and combat system performance. All firings are conducted using realistic tactical scenarios within peacetime range safety regulations. “While computer simulation and modeling is an important and cost effective tool for team training and tactics development, personnel and system performance can only be evaluated under live firing conditions controlled by range safety regulations,” says Commodore Bruce Donaldson, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific and Deputy Commander for the RIMPAC exercise. “Live missile firings also give the ship’s technicians and combat teams confidence in their equipment, a critical factor and a morale booster for those who may be called upon to sail into harm’s way.”
The main objective of RIMPAC is to enhance the coalition forces’ war fighting skills and coalition interoperability. HMCS Algonquin, Vancouver, and Regina are working with coalition ships from Australia, Chile, Peru, the Republic of Korea, and the United States. The multinational force is involved in a intense series of drills and training which includes live missile firings, torpedoes firings, gunnery exercises, air defense, surface and underwater warfare, maritime interdiction operations, boardings, mine warfare, and amphibious operations. RIMPAC 2006 is a multinational exercise that aims at promoting peace and security in the Rim of the Pacific region. The exercise is a tremendous opportunity for participating nations to enhance their forces’ skills in fighting terrorism, combating piracy and providing humanitarian assistance.
A RIMPAC participant since the first exercise was held in 1971, this year Canada’s contribution also includes two embarked CH-124 Sea King Helicopters and air detachments from 443 Squadron at Pat Bay, a team of clearance divers from Fleet Diving Unit (Pacific), six CF-18 Fighters from 3 Wing Bagotville, a CC-130 Hercules from 435 Squadron, 17 Wing Winnipeg and two CP-140 Aurora Maritime Patrol Aircraft from 407 Squadron at 19 Wing Comox.
