Ospreys and Super Stallions Descend in Hawaii, Exercise Should Have China Think Twice

A series of impressive show-of-force videos were published this week by the Navy, showing just how massive the exercise was. The first in the series, almost four minutes long, is available at the bottom of the page, and shows something the military branch calls an amphibious raid over an undisclosed area.

Having taken place in Hawaii, the mission involved forces of Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5 and Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). The Navy also deployed U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys and CH-53E Super Stallions for a landing mission during multinational littoral operations.

The video published by the Navy shows the helicopters at lift off, during their journey from the sea over to the undisclosed land mass they were targeting, and simply invading the place. For what it’s worth, the part where the helicopters reach their destination and start unloading troops is the most impressive of the entire clip.

RIMPAC 2022 saw soldiers from 26 countries take part. In all, the military deployed 38 ships, three submarines, 170 aircraft, and 25,000 soldiers. It is, by all accounts, the world's largest international maritime exercise, and it’s supposed to provide “a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.”

And, given China’s recent actions around Taiwan, it was the perfect opportunity for America and its allies to flex some muscle in what is turning into a blinking game with global implications.