HMCS Regina Conducts Harpoon Surface-to-Surface Missile Firing During SINKEX at RIMPAC 2020

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Dan Bard | 200829-N-NO842-3010 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 29, 2020) Royal Canadian Navy ship HMCS Regina (FFH 334) fires two Harpoon Surface to Surface Missiles as part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020. Ten nations, 22 ships, one submarine, and more than 5,300 personnel are participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) from August 17 to 31 at sea around the Hawaiian Islands. RIMPAC is a biennial exercise designed to foster and sustain cooperative relationships, critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The exercise is a unique training platform designed to enhance interoperability and strategic maritime partnerships. RIMPAC 2020 is the 27th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Royal Canadian Navy photo by MS Dan Bard)  

PACIFIC OCEAN

08.30.2020

Courtesy Story

Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet           

PACIFIC OCEAN – Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Regina (FFH 334) and Winnipeg (FFH 338) are off the coast of Hawaii participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020, the largest maritime exercise in the world.

The purpose of this exercise is to provide an opportunity for Sailors to gain experience working with international forces, practice group and task force tactics, and use important equipment and weaponry.

The crew of Regina participated in a sinking exercise, or SINKEX. A SINKEX is when an environmentally clean, decommissioned hulk is purposefully sunk to provide a unique opportunity to improve our coalition partner’s readiness.

“With an ever-changing and complex global environment, interoperability with partner nations is essential to maintain the rules-based international order,” said Lieutenant (Navy) Mike Vanderveer, Weapons Officer on board HCMS Regina. “This engagement not only proves the technical readiness of Regina and the Royal Canadian Navy, but provides an opportunity to focus on the application of force in coordinated kinetic action with partner nations.”

The weapons system Regina used for this exercise was the RGM-84 Harpoon Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM), which is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile utilized by most NATO member states.

“Shooting a Harpoon missile is a difficult and perishable skill, so any opportunity to plan and execute exercises with combined forces increases our skills, proficiency, and overall capability,” says Vanderveer.

At RIMPAC 2018, HMCS Ottawa participated in a SINKEX using the same weapon system.

Proficiency with this system is imperative for RCN frigates, as it provides the ship’s commanding officer the ability to address threats from over-the-horizon while maintaining a distance that provides increased safety for the ship and crew.

RIMPAC 2020 brings together a robust constellation of allies and partners to conduct operations in support of sustained American influence and favorable regional balances of power that safeguard security, prosperity, and the free and open international order.

For more information on RIMPAC 2020, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/RIMPAC.

• Date Taken: 08.30.2020
• Date Posted: 08.31.2020 11:41
• Story ID: 377135
• Location: PACIFIC OCEAN