China launches missile test in the Pacific Ocean amid ongoing RIMPAC exercise

By Jayvee Vallejera

Two hours after a commander of the Rim of the Pacific maritime exercise briefed reporters on the last few weeks of the 31-nation exercise being led by the U.S. military, Beijing test-launched a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the South Pacific, drawing a chorus of protests from the region.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the missile was fired at 12:10 p.m. as part of China’s annual military training and carried a dummy warhead.

Xinhua reported the missile landed as intended in the South Pacific and the test was not directed against a specific country. The last time Beijing test-fired a missile in the Pacific, also with a dummy warhead, was two years ago.

China did not identify the specifics of the missile, its intended target or the location where the dud splashed down.

Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand have criticized the launch.

The U.S. State Department has issued a critical statement about the launch.

"At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite," the U.S. State Department said. "Beijing’s rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup is of great concern to the region and the world."

Washington urged China "to engage in meaningful arms control discussions and commit to a regularized notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches consistent with commitments made by all other P5 members."

Thirty nations, over 30 surface ships, five submarines, 15 national land forces, more than 206 aircraft and 30,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 24 to July 31. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy

Monday’s media briefing with RIMPAC deputy commander Rear Adm. Suzanne

M. Bailey was conducted hours before the Beijing test launch.

Bailey stressed that this year’s RIMPAC, which is being conducted around the Hawaiian Islands, allows the U.S. and its partners to test new tools and tactics that will ensure the United States and its allies remain the world’s most capable and integrated fighting force.  

This year’s 30th RIMPAC, which began on June 24 and will last until July 31, includes about 40 experiments, said Bailey, commander of the RIMPAC Combined Exercise Control Group.

“I won’t get into the specifics on individual technologies or warfighting concepts at this time, but our efforts are focused on exposing the fleet and our partners to emerging capabilities and receiving real-world warfighter feedback very early in the process,” she said.

This includes a continued focus on integration, interoperability, and the ability of partner nations to operate side by side in a real-world maritime environment, she added.

The event's goal is to ensure the U.S. and its allies can control the seas as a fundamental mission of the Navy. “A critical part of that is being able to decisively engage and defeat surface threats,” Bailey added.

This year’s RIMPAC includes forces from 31 nations, bringing together more than 30,000 personnel from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Although Guam played no role in this year’s RIMPAC, which is being held in and around the main Hawaiian islands, the U.S. territory hosted a Philippine coast guard ship that was on its way to Hawaii for the Philippines’ first participation in the exercise.

While in Guam, the BRP Gabriela Silang and the U.S. Coast Guard did a series of joint activities that ran from June 9 to 13. Crews from both services trained side by side during the visit. 

She said RIMPAC uses a wide range of weapons from different platforms.

As an example, she cited RIMPAC’s sinking exercise, where the U.S. and its partners work together to detect, track, target, and ultimately sink an enemy ship.

“It’s the ultimate test of our kill chain,” she added.

One of the most exciting aspects of this year’s RIMPAC is the use of uncrewed systems, Bailey said. These include remote-controlled drones and unmanned underwater vehicles.

Although she declined to discuss the specifics of these unmanned systems, Bailey said they are not just an incremental improvement to the Navy’s warfighting capabilities but are absolutely essential to today's and the future of naval warfare.  

“They give us capacity and resilience. They give us options. They create dilemmas. By integrating unmanned systems, we present a more complex and unpredictable challenge to any adversary, enhancing our ability to deter aggression,” she said.

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This is why RIMPAC is so critical, Bailey said. The exercise serves as a primary laboratory for putting these platforms and concepts into practice.

By working with partner nations, “we’re learning together on how to combine manned and unmanned platforms into a single, cohesive, and formidable fighting and defensive force. We’re stress testing our entire multinational network to ensure this teaming is seamless and reliable,” she added.

She said the at-sea phase of the training is coming up.

Bailey said RIMPAC’s value is not just in the military aspects of strengthened interoperability and the ability to operate together across the full spectrum of maritime operations.

“Exercises like RIMPAC are about much more than ships and aircraft.  They are about the people and partnerships built over decades that continue to grow stronger through shared training and cooperation.  Together, we improve our collective readiness while advancing our shared commitment to a free and open theater,” she added.

RIMPAC also  has a dedicated humanitarian assistance and disaster response event, according to a RIMPAC spokesperson.

This scenario facilitates training for expeditionary forces to respond to foreign disasters. The scenario includes personnel from non-governmental organizations, partner nations, academia and Hawaii-based medical facilities, which conduct state‑wide mass‑casualty drills and certification requirements, the spokesperson said.

RIMPAC happens every two years.

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