First 214-Class Submarine Deployed in This Year's RIMPAC Exercise

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] This year, the world's largest multinational maritime exercise, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), will include the amphibious assault ship Marado (LPH, 14,500 tons) and the 214-class (1,800 tons) submarine. While the 209-class submarine has participated in the past, this is the first time the 214-class will take part.

According to the Navy on the 17th, for this year's RIMPAC exercise held around Hawaii from late next month to early August, the Navy has decided to send the 9th 214-class submarine, Sindolsok, instead of the previously dispatched 209-class (1,200 tons) submarine. Launched in 2017, the Sindolsok is 65 meters long and 6.3 meters wide, capable of maneuvering underwater at speeds up to 20 knots (37 km/h).

It performs missions such as anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and attack mine laying, and is equipped with domestically produced cruise missiles with a range of 1,000 km capable of long-range precision strikes on enemy key facilities. The Navy will also dispatch the 2nd large amphibious assault ship Marado, weighing 14,500 tons, and plans to conduct, for the first time, an amphibious training exercise together with multinational forces.

RIMPAC, which began in 1971 and is held biennially, is the 28th exercise this year. It is a multinational joint exercise hosted by the U.S. Navy to enhance the protection of maritime traffic routes along the Pacific coast, joint response capabilities to threats, and interoperability of combined forces. Korea observed the exercise as an 'observer' in 1988 and has participated 17 times since its first participation in 1990, including this year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.