PLAN invited to participate in RIMPAC for first the time (2014)

PEARL HARBOR (July 15, 2014) The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departs Pearl Harbor for its at-sea phase of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. Twenty-two nations, 49 ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles E. White/Released)

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KAUAI, Hawaii (July 14, 2014) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Black Knights of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), participates in a helicopter exercise off the coast of the Hawaiian Island of Kauai during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Joseph Pfaff/Released)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 13, 2014) Cmdr. Joseph Gagliano, center, commanding officer of the littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS 2) describes state-of-the-art features of the bridge during a ship tour for Rear Adm. Ajendra B. Singh, right, and Commodore Alok Bhatnagar from the Indian navy during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Corey T. Jones/Released)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 11, 2014)Cmdr. Joel Stewart, commanding officer of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD 23), and Cmdr. Max Muller, commander of Combined Task Group (CTG 177.1), discuss Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014 on the bridge of Anchorage. . (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communications Specialist Elena Pence/Released)

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PEARL HARBOR (July 14, 2014) Adm. Katsutoshi Kawano, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force chief of staff, left, and Adm. Harry Harris Jr., commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, meet during an office call at U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters. Kawano is visiting Pearl Harbor to meet Navy leaders and to observe exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014. . (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Kolmel/Released)

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PEARL HARBOR (July 12, 2014) Ex-USS Tuscaloosa (LST 1187) is towed in preparation for a sink exercise (SINKEX) as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charles E. White/Released)

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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII (July 11, 2014) The ultra heavy-lift amphibious connector (UHAC), a prototype amphibious vehicle, runs over uneven terrain on its way to shore during a Marine Corps Warfighting Experiment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron S. Patterson/Released)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 11, 2014) A half-scale ultra heavy-lift amphibious connector (UHAC), an amphibious connector prototype created by Navatek Ltd. and the Office of Naval Research, embarks the amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) for the first time. The Marine Corps Warfighting lab sponsored this UHAC demonstration during the at-sea phase of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Amanda R. Gray/Released)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 11, 2014) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) 3rd Class Jonathan Connor, from Hendersonville, N.C., directs fueling flight deck crew members during flight operations aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak/Released)

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PEARL HARBOR (July 12, 2014) Patrol boats assigned to Coastal Riverine Squadron (CORIVON) 11 practice maneuvering techniques during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and six submarines, about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 26 to August 1, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Bryan M. Ilyankoff/Released)

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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 10, 2014) Members of Coastal Riverine Squadron (CORIVRON) 11 participate in a security escort and medical evacuation exercise to support the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief portion of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise 2014. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel

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NavWeek: China Whirl
Jul 16, 2014 by Michael Fabey in Ares

ABOARD THE CNS HAIKOU -

Nobody knew what to expect.

Would the Chinese destroyer officer confiscate out materials? Would they really take us on a tour of their ship – the DDG 171 CNS Haikou – and answer our questions? Would they let us take pictures? What would they be like? What would the ship be like? Would we really find out?

This was all brand new – the first time a Chinese warship would be participating in the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercise, and thus the first time U.S. reporters would be aboard Luyang II or Lanzhou-class destroyer during a military exercise like this.

But how would the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) personnel treat U.S. reporters? What would they tell them?

“We’ll have to play it by ear,” the U.S. Navy public affairs officers said.

We found out as we piled out of the helicopter that flew us from the cruiser USS Port Royal to the Haikou in the rolling Pacific. There, a line of Chinese officers and seamen – wearing blue-tinged camouflage uniforms not all that different from those worn on U.S. Navy ships – waited by the hangar.

They stared at us. We stared back at them. We were all armed – with cameras.

“Can I take pictures?” I asked.

“Of course,” the ship’s communications officer, and my guide for the duration, told me.

The shooting began – on both sides. We took pictures of the officers, crew and ship. The Chinese took pictures of us.

Talk about transparency.

After a real Chinese meal, the tour began. It ranged about the ship. Some places, such as the mast, were off limits for pictures. But otherwise, it was open season. Stay tuned for more material from the tour and interviews, including an exclusive and rather frank sit down with Senior Capt. Zhao Xiaogang, who is charge of the task force of ships participating in Rimpac.

Suffice to say the Haikou can hold its own as a top-notch international destroyer. Rimpac is a bit of coming out for the Chinese and they are turning some heads and flaunting more than anyone would have expected.

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dmmm said:

Aviation Week website has a short story on US reporters visiting CNS Haikou at sea during RIMPAC exercise.

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NavWeek: China Whirl
Jul 16, 2014 by Michael Fabey in Ares

ABOARD THE CNS HAIKOU -

Nobody knew what to expect.

Would the Chinese destroyer officer confiscate out materials? Would they really take us on a tour of their ship – the DDG 171 CNS Haikou – and answer our questions? Would they let us take pictures? What would they be like? What would the ship be like? Would we really find out?

This was all brand new – the first time a Chinese warship would be participating in the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercise, and thus the first time U.S. reporters would be aboard Luyang II or Lanzhou-class destroyer during a military exercise like this.

But how would the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) personnel treat U.S. reporters? What would they tell them?

.
.
.

Suffice to say the Haikou can hold its own as a top-notch international destroyer. Rimpac is a bit of coming out for the Chinese and they are turning some heads and flaunting more than anyone would have expected.

Click to expand...

ladioussupp said:

The webpage does not contain any picture or video.

In the exercise held in the morning, 11 man-o-wars participating "main gun gunnery firing exercise" were led by USS Independence LCS forming a single trail. The firings were performed while the ships moved. The targets are orange balloons, so-called "tomatos." At 10:00, a US Navy Perry-class frigate firstly fired. Ten minutes later, 052C Haikou fired three rounds and all on targets. From 15:00 to 18:00 local time, another "main gun gunnery firing exercise" was held at the same day. Two US Navy people were on board of Haikoi.

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China slipped an uninvited guest into the world’s largest naval exercise.

The U.S. invited four ships from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to the Rim of the Pacific 2014 exercise — a move that was hailed as a sign of improved military-to-military relations between the two countries.

But China also sent an electronic surveillance ship designed to monitor signals from the ships, right to the edges of the exercise.

“The U.S. Pacific Fleet has been monitoring a Chinese navy surveillance ship operating in the vicinity of Hawaii outside U.S. territorial seas,” Capt. Darryn James, a spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, told USNI News late Friday.

“We expect this ship will remain outside of U.S. territorial seas and not operate in a manner that disrupts the ongoing Rim of the Pacific maritime exercise.”

James said the ship was not part of the exercise and would not speculate on the ship’s purpose but said that it appeared in the vicinity of Hawaii about a week ago.

“Any questions about the ship’s intent or capabilities will need to be addressed by the People’s Liberation Army Navy,” he said.
A message left with PLAN representatives at RIMPAC was not immediately returned.

As of Friday, the ship was operating south of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, near the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) carrier strike group (CSG) and the main body of the 50 ships participating in the exercise, several sources confirmed to USNI News.

The ship is a Dongdiao-class auxiliary general intelligence (AGI) ship, one in a class of three PLAN ships designed to gather electronic and communication data from surrounding vessels and aircraft, sources confirmed to USNI News.

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said the ship is likely to be one the PLAN’s most experienced, in a late Friday interview with USNI News.

“This AGI is most likely to be the Type 815 Dongdiao-class intelligence collection vessel Beijixing (pennant number 851), home ported in the East Sea Fleet,” Erickson, an associate professor at the Naval War College said.

“Beijixing is the most experienced vessel from the PLAN’s most advanced class of AGI. Based on Internet photos and Japanese government and other media reports, Beijixing is China’s most well-traveled AGI, having operated frequently near and within Japan’s claimed Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).”

The Dongdiao-class off Hawaii is operating inside the U.S. EEZ but not in territorial waters, James said.

“The Chinese Navy AGI ship’s presence is in accordance with international law regarding freedom of navigation,” he said.

“The U.S. Navy operates in waters beyond the territorial seas of coastal nations around the world while adhering to international law and norms, and China’s AGI is permitted to do the same.”

Monitoring electronic signals and communications from rivals exercises is nothing new. The U.S. and then-Soviet navies were famous for stalking one anothers exercises to gain intelligence information. China often accuses the U.S. of doing the same in areas like the South China Sea.

Adversaries and allies both can learn much from monitoring and analyzing electronic signals from a plane or a warship — say the frequencies in which an air defense radar operates. Likewise the communications between ships and aircraft can tell an adversary procedures of how a navy operates.

What’s strange about the Chinese ship monitoring RIMPAC from afar is four PLAN ships and their crews have already been included in most levels of the operation.

“For an operation that risks making the PLAN look like an untactful guest, as well as undermining its insistence that it has the right to oppose similar activities in its own EEZ, China would want to deploy the vessel least likely to make visible mistake(s) that would generate further embarrassment in that fishbowl environment,” Erickson said.

The revelation of the spy ship near the exercise has caused at least one member of Congress to say the U.S. shouldn’t invite China back for RIMPAC 2016.

“Given China’s recent disregard for principles like freedom of navigation and the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes, it was already a stretch to reward Beijing with an invite to such a prestigious event like RIMPAC,” Rep Randy Forbes (R-Va.) chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces told USNI News in a late Friday statement.

“Now we learn they chose to disrespect the 20 other international participants by sailing an intelligence gathering ship directly into the middle of the exercise. It is clear China is not ready to be a responsible partner and that their first trip to RIMPAC should probably be their last.”

RIMPAC — held every two years — includes 50 ships, 200 aircraft and more than 25,000 military personnel from 23 nations. The exercises will run until August.

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