Navy Divers at RIMPAC Pearl Harbour 2024

A team of Royal New Zealand Navy Divers have had some very long days operating with international partners during RIMPAC 24

July 25, 2024

Navy divers on the USS UTAH (the first ship sunk during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor) Image by MC K Gorby (U.S. Navy)

Lieutenant Christian Lloyd

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A 12-person contingent from HMNZS Matatatua’s Survey, Search and Recovery Team has been working alongside naval colleagues from the US, Canada, Mexico, Peru, the Netherlands and South Korea.
The team have engaged in a diverse range of tasks such as salvage and recovery, underwater cutting using kerie cables, shark marine sonar scanning of USS UTAH (the first ship sunk during the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor) and reinforcing wharf pylons.

"The opportunity to work alongside our partners, sharing our experience and knowledge and getting exposure to different equipment has been invaluable.”

~ Lieutenant Christian Lloyd

RIMPAC 2024 included ships and personnel from 29 countries. It is reported that the decommissioned ship USS Tarawa was used in a sinking exercise as part of Exercise RIMPAC 2024. The U.S. Navy also officially unveiled the AIM-174B air-to-air missile, an "Air-Launched Configuration" of the RIM-174 Standard ERAM surface-to-air missile. The AIM-174 is the first dedicated long-range air-to-air missile fielded by the U.S. military since the Navy's retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix.

Watch a short video herehttps://fb.watch/txl6_P6rib/

Flying the flag. RNZN divers proudly hold the White Ensign Photos courtesy RNZN dive team

Navy divers entering the water via backwards roll entry image by CPL M Butcher Photos courtesy of NZDF

The Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) is the world's largest international maritime warfare exercise. RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the exception of 2020 where it was held in August. It is hosted and administered by the United States Navy's Indo-Pacific Command, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii.

preparing for operations image by MSgt. C Lundborg (U.S. Air Force) Photos courtesy of NZDF

A navy diver enters the water with his tender at hand. image by CPL M Butcher Photos courtesy of NZDF

Divers are always so happy to be in the water Photos courtesy RNZN dive team

RIMPAC 2024 participating forces

Royal Australian Navy
HMAS Sydney

Belgian Navy

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Brazilian Navy

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Royal Brunei Navy
KDB Darulaman, KDB Darussalam

Royal Canadian Navy
HMCS Max Bernays, HMCS VancouverAsterix

Chilean Navy
Almirante Condell

Colombian National Navy

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Royal Danish Navy

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Ecuadorian Navy

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French Navy
Bretagne

German Navy
Baden-Württemberg, Frankfurt am Main

Indian Navy
INS Shivalik

Indonesian Navy
KRI Raden Eddy Martadinata

Israeli Navy

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Italian Navy
Raimondo Montecuccoli

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
JS Haguro, JS Kunisaki

Royal Malaysian Navy
KD Lekiu

Mexican Navy
ARM Benito Juárez, ARM Usumacinta

Royal Netherlands Navy
HNLMS Tromp

Royal New Zealand Navy
HMNZS Aotearoa

Peruvian Navy
BAP Pisco

Philippine Navy
Observers

Republic of Singapore Navy
RSS Stalwart

Republic of Korea Navy
ROKS Cheon Ja Bong , ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin
ROKS Lee Beom-seok, ROKS Yulgok Yi I

Sri Lanka Navy

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Royal Thai Navy

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Tongan Navy

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Royal Navy

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United States Navy
USCGC Midgett, USNS Grasp, USNS John Lewis, USNS Pecos, USNS Washigton Chambers, USS Carl Vinson, USS Curtis Wilbur, USS Fitzgerald, USS Germantown, USS Gridley, USS Kidd, USS North Carolina, USS Princeton, USS Somerset, USS Sterett, USS Topeka, USS William P. Lawrence