COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) marine contingent which left for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 exercise, hosted by the US Pacific Fleet, arrived the island on August 8. The SLN contingent on August 3 successfully completed its leg in the RIMPAC 2022, held in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
SLN Marine contingent for RIMPAC 2022 comprised 50 members including both officers and sailors who first left for Australia by a special flight arranged by Royal Australian Air Force on July 4.
In Townsville, Australia the SLN contingent partnered with crew of HMAS Canberra of the Royal Australian Navy for an acclimatization programme and subsequently left for RIMPAC 2022.
Commenced on June 29, Rim of the Pacific Exercise was conducted for the 28th time, this year, and it was featured by 38 surface ships, three submarines, 170 aircraft and over 25,000 armed force personnel including nine ground troops from 26 countries including Sri Lanka, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, UK and US.
Meanwhile, in Townsville, Australia, SLN Marines carried out a week-long field training programme with members of the Royal Australian Army, where they honed their skills in small arms movement and firing, military operation in urban terrain, field formation and signal. En route to Hawaii onboard HMAS Canberra, they also conducted training exercises of crowd disposal, embarkation and disembarkation drills and amphibious mission planning. On their way to Hawaii, SLN Marines played a friendly volleyball match with the teams of Australia and Tonga onboard HMAS Canberra and became winners of the friendly encounter.
The Rim of the Pacific Exercise is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise. Sri Lanka Navy played a key part in the RIMPAC Amphibious Assault Exercise going hand in hand with Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Korea, Tonga and the US. In these exercises, SLN Marines had a firsthand experience of modern and influential equipment used by counterparts across from the globe. Further, helicopter operations onboard HMAS Canberra provided the SLN contingent a refreshing experience.
This year’s exercise programme also included disaster relief, gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defence exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, replenishment at sea and diving and salvage operations.
Taking part in this nature of exercises participated by regional and extra-regional navies, enabled the Sri Lanka Navy to exchange best practices and foster and sustain cooperative relationships. Especially, SLN Marines managed to team up in response to specific scenarios and refine their ability to communicate and fight alongside one another in a realistic training environment. Thus, such engagements will pave the way for overcoming common maritime challenges collectively in the future.
