Sejongdaewang-class Destroyer to Participate in North Korean Ballistic Missile Interception Drill

The ROKS Yi Sun-sin conducting SM-2 missile launch training maneuver

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] A Korean Navy admiral will participate in this year’s Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the world’s largest multinational maritime exercise, and for the first time will lead the expeditionary strike group training of the participating countries. Until now, the Korean Navy has dispatched officers at the colonel level to RIMPAC, and this is the first time a brigadier general is participating.

According to the Navy on the 24th, from around July to early August, a Korean Navy brigadier general will participate as the expeditionary strike group commander in the RIMPAC exercise held around Hawaii, USA.

RIMPAC, which started in 1971 and is held biennially, is the 28th iteration this year. It is a multinational combined exercise hosted by the U.S. Navy to enhance joint response capabilities to protect maritime routes along the Pacific coast and to counter threats, as well as to improve interoperability of combined forces. The Korean Navy observed the exercise as an ‘observer’ in 1988 and has participated 17 times since its first participation in 1990.

In this exercise, by having a Korean Navy commander lead the expeditionary strike group training among various types of combined exercises, expectations are rising that the status of the Korean Navy will be further elevated. In this regard, the Navy plans to dispatch for the first time its amphibious assault ship Marado (LPH, 14,500 tons) and a 214-class (1,800 tons) submarine to RIMPAC.

There is also interest in whether the Korean Navy ships will fire SM-2 missiles during the exercise. Ships equipped with SM-2, which intercept North Korea’s ballistic missiles (ICBMs), include three Aegis destroyers (DDG) such as the Sejong the Great and six destroyers (DDH-2) including the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin. These ships can only conduct live firing of SM-2 missiles during RIMPAC, which is held biennially near Hawaii. The Sejong the Great and Munmu the Great will participate in this exercise.

The number of SM-2 firings by ships participating in RIMPAC has not been many. Korean ships equipped with SM-2 have participated in RIMPAC since 2004 and have fired a total of 31 missiles. The Aegis destroyer Yulgok Yi I fired eight missiles in 2012 and 2018, and the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin, Dae Jo-yeong, Wang Geon, Gang Gam-chan, and Choi Young each fired two missiles. The Navy holds the position that the number of exercises should be significantly increased in preparation for North Korea’s continued missile provocations.

There are also expectations that a large-scale combined South Korea-U.S. exercise will be conducted together with a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier during this RIMPAC. It is possible that the ‘Pacific Dragon’ exercise will be conducted during the training period. Recently, the Korean Navy held a video conference with the U.S. 7th Fleet’s Task Force 70 to discuss training and operational plans. The U.S. has included the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (displacement 100,000 tons), which is currently stationed in the Pacific, in this exercise.

A total of 27 countries are expected to participate in this year’s RIMPAC. Meanwhile, the ‘2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)’ signed by U.S. President Joe Biden includes a plan to invite Taiwan to RIMPAC, raising speculation that if Taiwan actually participates in this exercise, China will strongly oppose it. However, Taiwan has not yet confirmed its participation in the exercise.