Rim of the Pacific Exercise: Roosevelt Aircraft Carrier Departs Pearl Harbor for Sea Phase

The 30th Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise in 2026 has entered its sea phase. According to U.S. military information platforms, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and warships from various nations have successively departed Pearl Harbor to commence maritime drills. Reports indicate that two large decommissioned warships will be sunk.

The U.S. military news website "Defense Visual Information Distribution Service" (DVIDS) released news photos today showing the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) along with warships and submarines from various countries departing Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

According to photos provided by the U.S. military, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, nicknamed "The Big Stick," was seen departing Pearl Harbor with family members and base personnel waving goodbye from the shore.

The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is the flagship for this year's RIMPAC exercise. It serves not only as a mobile airport for fighter jet operations but also as the command center. It is sailing alongside cruisers, destroyers, and assault ships from the U.S. Navy's 9th Carrier Strike Group, and will participate in formation sailing and live-fire exercises at sea with other nations.

According to U.S. military information platforms, several submarines, which are rarely publicly exposed, also appeared and slowly sailed out of Pearl Harbor. These include the U.S. Navy's USS Columbia (SSN-771) and USS Charlotte (SSN-766), South Korea's ROKS Dosan Ahn Changho, and Canada's HMCS Corner Brook (SSK-878).

The exercise began on June 24th. After the initial phase of port calls and shore-based exchanges, as warships from various nations successively depart Pearl Harbor, the exercise will enter its sea phase in the waters near Hawaii, featuring formation sailing and live-fire drills. It is expected that multiple warships will be sunk during the SINKEX (Sinking Exercise).

Multiple U.S. media outlets, including "The San Diego Union-Tribune," reported that the U.S. Navy's decommissioned amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA-5) and guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) will be the targets for this RIMPAC SINKEX.

SINKEX uses decommissioned warships as targets, allowing forces from various nations to integrate surface ships, submarines, and aircraft to practice detecting and identifying targets. It tests the effectiveness of weapons such as missiles, torpedoes, and bombs, and also examines the tactical procedures and command and control capabilities of participating nations in maritime combat scenarios.

The U.S. military has recently demonstrated its firepower in the Pacific. The recently concluded Valiant Shield exercise, which brought together the United States, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, resulted in the sinking of the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Juneau (LPD-10) on June 27th, approximately 200 nautical miles off the coast of the Mariana Islands. (Editor: Chen Hui-ping) 1150709

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