Canada flexes sea muscle in multinational Pacific exercise

HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) fires the multi ammunition soft-kill system (MASS) from the bridge during Rim pf the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. RCN

More than 800 Canadian sailors, aviators and soldiers participated in this year’s Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) in and around the Hawaiian Islands, from June 29 to Aug. 4.

The Canadian Armed Forces’ contribution to this year’s iteration of the biennial exercise included Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Vancouver and Winnipeg, two CP-140 Aurora aircraft, and two CH-148 Cyclone helicopters.

Canada also occupied key leadership positions, including Deputy Command of Combined Task Force RIMPAC, Command of the Combined Force Air Component, and Deputy Command of the Combined Force Maritime Component Command.

HMCS Vancouver became the first Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) vessel to tactically launch a surface off-board passive decoy (SOPD) as part of electronic warfare (EW) tactics training during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 exercise.

Over the week, the ship tested and fine-tuned its multi-ammunition soft-kill system (MASS) capabilities. MASS is an automated decoy system that fires a wall of chaff to confuse sensor-guided missiles and disguise a vessel.

Vancouver also fired its Dueras rocket system, which is built onto the ship’s MASS launcher. The rockets fire a decoy rocket to protect the ship from Anti-Ship Missiles and infrared threats in an asymmetrical threat environment.

Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Winnipeg (FFH 338) executive officer, Lt. Cmdr. James Ashlstrom, Deputy Cmdr. Combined Task Force Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, Rear Adm. Christopher Robinson and Deputy Public Affairs Royal Canadian Navy, Lt. Cmdr. Jordan Holder, are interviewed by regional media outlets aboard Winnipeg in Pearl Harbor. RCN

Canada is one of only three nations to have participated in every one since 1971. Internationally, 26 participating nations deployed 38 surface ships, 3 submarines, over 30 uncrewed systems, some 170 aircraft, and over 25,000 personnel.

There were 26 participating nations, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Other nations sent observers, including Belgium, Fiji, Guatemala and Poland.