Royal Australian Navy destroyer sinks former US amphibious vehicle with naval attack missile during RIMPAC 2024

Destroyer HMAS of the Royal Australian Navy Sydney (DDG-42) successfully fired a naval attack missile and sank the former amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa (LHA-1) in the waters off Hawaii during the biennial exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024.

The Australian Department of Defence described SINKEX as an “important milestone” for the country’s national defence strategy in a press release published on Monday along with a video of the firing test.

“The National Defence Strategy outlines a strategy of denial as a cornerstone of defence planning to prevent a potential adversary from succeeding in coercing Australia by force, while supporting regional security and prosperity,” Australian Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said in the release.

In April 2022, the Australian Government selected the NSM to replace the RAN’s Harpoon missile system on its Hobart-class destroyers and Anzac-class frigates. In January 2023, the Australian Government signed a contract for the missile system.

“HMAS Sydney’s “The launch of Naval Strike Missiles during RIMPAC 2024 represents a significant increase in the lethality of our surface fleet and delivers on our commitment to accelerate the introduction of enhanced lethal strike capabilities,” said RAN Chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond in the press release.

“Naval Strike Missile is a key capability to increase the lethality and survivability of our ships and enables us to keep an adversary at bay at greater distances.”

During a Senate committee hearing on June 5, Hammond said the RAN had already begun equipping some of its ships with the NSM system and by the end of the year the Tomahawk cruise missile would enter service with the RAN, according to the hearing transcript. The Australian government announced in August 2023 that it would procure over 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles for the RAN’s three Hobart-class destroyers.

Rescue and salvage ship USNS Grasp (T-ARS 51) was to replace the former Tarawa and the former amphibious transport ship USS Dubuque (LPD-8) to the designated target area for SINKEX, according to a press release from the US Military Sealift Command on July 2. A photo from MSC on Thursday shows Grasp Towing Ex-Tarawa to the target area.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy, Royal Thai Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy launched the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2024 exercise in Sattahip, Thailand, on Thursday, according to a Navy statement.

“When like-minded navies cooperate and work together multilaterally, we collectively have a tremendous impact on regional security, stability and prosperity,” Rear Admiral Joaquin Martinez de Pinillos, deputy reserve commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, said in the release. “This partnership between the U.S., Thai and Singapore navies is a model for regional cooperation at a time and place where what happens in the maritime domain has major implications for all nations.”

CARAT is typically a bilateral series of exercises that the U.S. Navy conducts with a number of partners in South Asia and Southeast Asia. However, trilateral CARATs have occasionally been held as additional events. For example, the U.S. conducted a trilateral CARAT with Malaysia and the Philippines in 2016 and with Thailand and Singapore in 2017.

“The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), with an embarked MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, will operate at sea with the RTN frigates HTMS Taksin (FFG 422), HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej (FFG 471), HTMS Chakri Naruebet (FFG 911), and RSN RSS Valiant (91),” said a press release from Destroyer Squadron 7.

The at-sea phase of the exercise will enable the three navies to work together as surface task forces and conduct anti-submarine warfare exercises, the press release said.

“This exercise continues to demonstrate the depth of U.S.-Thai cooperation, which continues to evolve in complexity to enhance our navies’ operational capabilities and tactical readiness in response to new challenges,” said Capt. Sean Lewis, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 7, in the release. “As America’s long-standing treaty partner in Southeast Asia, Thailand exemplifies our ongoing commitment to likeminded allies and partners. With Singapore joining this year, CARAT underscores our commitment to promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and ensuring peace, prosperity and stability in the region.”

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