RIMPAC’s naval war games will feature high-tech arms

Rim of the Pacific war games scheduled to start in late June off Hawaii will bring thousands of sailors, tests of a submarine-launched unmanned aerial vehicle and blue-laser underwater communications, and a "green" emphasis with the largest government purchase of biofuel in history.

Hoteliers are expecting an influx of business, with past RIMPAC exercises adding more than $40 million in contracts and spending on shore, the Navy said.

"RIMPAC will bring a much-needed boost to our economy and Hawaii is fortunate to host these exercises," said Jerry Gibson, area vice president of Hilton Hawaii. "We definitely will see a huge influx of patrons to our restaurants, lounges and retail shops during the exercises and we look forward to welcoming them in June."

David Carey, president and CEO of Outrigger Enterprises Group, said companies like his do several million dollars worth of business as a result of RIMPAC, but that business is unpredictable due to security concerns and limited information disclosed as to when ships will be at sea and in port.

Navaltoday.com reported that this summer’s RIMPAC, from June 29 to Aug. 7, will have representation from Australia, India, Indonesia, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, Malaysia, Tonga, Japan and Russia. Russia says it will send a destroyer (the Bystry), a rescue tug and a tanker.

A New Zealand press report said that nation also had been invited to RIMPAC.

RIMPAC is held every two years in Hawaii waters.

In 2010 about 25 Navy ships and submarines were involved in the world’s largest multinational maritime exercise, including the carrier Ronald Reagan. Fourteen nations participated, with 20,000 personnel, 32 ships, five submarines and more than 170 aircraft.

An official with the Navy’s 3rd Fleet in San Diego, which runs RIMPAC, said details of this summer’s exercise won’t be released until April 23. However, officials have talked about some aspects of the upcoming war games, while contract awards have given an indication of some of the testing.

The Pentagon announced in December the largest government purchase of biofuel in history — 450,000 gallons for $12 million — to fuel RIMPAC ships and aircraft in a large-scale test of the cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said during a news conference that the biodiesel would be used during RIMPAC for what’s been dubbed the "Great Green Fleet" aircraft carrier strike group.

"We’re going to have the entire strike group, aircraft and ships, sailing on a 50/50 blend of biofuel and diesel for the ships, biofuel and (aviation) gas for the aircraft," Mabus said.

The Navy said in December that it was awarding a contract to test submarine "over the horizon" surveillance capabilities during RIMPAC, using an unmanned aerial vehicle launched underwater via the sub’s trash disposal unit.

A "submerged launch vehicle" is ejected underwater, rises to the surface and releases a Switchblade remotely piloted or autonomous UAV.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, meanwhile, wants to test at RIMPAC an underwater blue-laser system allowing submerged submarines to communicate with aircraft.

A 2010 announcement by DARPA said the Tactical Relay Information Network, or TRITON, would be tested to validate improvements in blue laser communications at speed and depth.