At RIMPAC, Korea’s newest warships signal navy’s growing role

ROKS Jeongjo the Great, the Republic of Korea Navy's 8,200-ton Aegis destroyer, is moored at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, Sunday, during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2026. Korea Times photo by Bahk Eun-ji

HONOLULU — “Possible enemy missile launch detected.”

The announcement echoed through the combat information center aboard the ROKS Jeongjo the Great and conversations stopped instantly. Sailors fixed their eyes on rows of tactical displays as a simulated missile track appeared on the main screen.

Another order came seconds later.

“SM-2 interceptor launch in 10 seconds.”

The countdown ended. Operators continued working quietly at their consoles while the missile icon closed on its target. A few moments later, another voice broke the silence.

“Target disappeared from radar.”

The engagement lasted only minutes. It was only a simulation ahead of the sea phase of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), but inside the Republic of Korea Navy’s newest Aegis destroyer, there was little to distinguish the drill from combat.

The scene aboard Jeongjo the Great captures how far the Korean Navy has come since sending two frigates to its first RIMPAC in 1990.

This year, nearly all of the country's newest major naval assets have converged at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam — the 8,200-ton Aegis destroyer, the 3,000-ton submarine ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, the maritime patrol aircraft P-8A Poseidon and supporting surface ships.

At the same time, Rear Adm. Kim In-ho, commander of the Republic of Korea Fleet’s Mobile Fleet Command, is serving as Combined Force Maritime Component commander, making Korea the first Asian nation to lead participating naval forces during the multinational exercise.

Combat station

For visitors stepping aboard Jeongjo the Great, the combat information center is the ship’s operational brain.

Dozens of displays track aircraft, ships and simulated threats simultaneously, while sailors move through rehearsed procedures with almost no unnecessary conversation. The atmosphere is calm rather than dramatic, reflecting the routine professionalism expected aboard a frontline warship.

“It is a valuable opportunity to strengthen our multinational operational capability,” commanding officer Capt. Cho Wan-hee said. “The crew has prepared thoroughly and we intend to prove ourselves through our performance.”

ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, the Republic of Korea Navy's 3,000-ton submarine, is moored at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, Sunday, during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2026. Korea Times photo by Bahk Eun-ji

Below deck

A short walk along the pier leads to another symbol of Korea’s expanding naval ambitions.

Moored nearby was Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, the country’s first indigenous 3,000-ton submarine to cross the Pacific before joining RIMPAC after completing bilateral training with the Royal Canadian Navy.

The interior is not what many would expect.

Instead of narrow passageways requiring sailors to squeeze sideways, the corridors are wide enough to walk through comfortably. Crew quarters accommodate between two and six sailors, excluding the captain’s cabin, while shower stalls and toilets are separated so they can be used simultaneously.

The submarine’s flexible layout also proved useful during its voyage from Canada to Hawaii, when six Canadian sailors joined the crew after bilateral drills.

“We had three men and three women from the Canadian Navy aboard,” Capt. Lee Byung-il said. “They were impressed by how clean the submarine was and by the amount of personal space each sailor had.”

The submarine can remain submerged for up to about 20 days using its air-independent propulsion system, placing it among the most capable conventional submarines in service.

For this deployment, however, it carries only four heavyweight torpedoes for self-defense, with its vertical launch tubes empty.

Daily life aboard remains shaped by the realities of operating underwater for weeks at a time.

There are no open flames. Meals are prepared using ovens and electric cooking equipment.

One compartment stores “ganjang” (soy sauce), “doenjang” (soybean paste), sesame seeds and other Korean seasonings alongside boxes of provisions for extended patrols. The exercise equipment consists of little more than a compact workout space tucked into a corner.

Asked whether there was anything he still wished to improve aboard the submarine, Lee smiled briefly before answering.

“I don’t have any regrets.”

The answer came without hesitation.

A medical team prepares an operating room aboard the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Essex at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, Sunday, during the Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2026. Korea Times photo by Bahk Eun-ji

Hospital at sea

Across the harbor sits another reminder of the scale of modern naval operations.

The USS Essex, the U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship participating in RIMPAC, resembles a small aircraft carrier from the pier. MV-22 Ospreys and attack helicopters occupy its expansive flight deck, while landing craft wait below in its well deck for upcoming amphibious operations.

Below the flight deck sits another part of the ship rarely seen by visitors.

The ship houses what amounts to a small hospital. It includes examination rooms, operating rooms, intensive care facilities and a dental clinic. Medical officers said the infrastructure is capable of treating up to 15 surgical patients simultaneously, although that capacity depends entirely on staffing.

For RIMPAC, the medical team consists of 62 personnel — 50 Americans and 12 Canadians — working as a single integrated unit.

“Infrastructure alone doesn’t save lives,” one medical officer said during a media tour. “People do.”

The arrangement reflects the ship’s primary mission. Amphibious assaults are expected to generate large numbers of casualties, making medical support just as critical as aviation or landing operations.

Canadian personnel said this marks their first deployment at such a high level of maritime medical integration with U.S. forces.

Taking command

For Korea, RIMPAC has become a measure of how its role has evolved.

The country’s responsibilities have steadily expanded over the past decade, progressing from tactical command roles to deputy leadership positions and now to command the multinational maritime component itself.

Kim dismissed suggestions that the appointment was simply the result of Korea fielding more capable ships.

“This wasn’t something that happened after we arrived in Hawaii,” he said. “The relationships were built through years of planning conferences, operational planning, standard operating procedures and repeated cooperation long before the exercise began.

As Pearl Harbor prepared for the sea phase of RIMPAC, Jeongjo the Great and Dosan Ahn Chang-ho remained moored side by side at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.