Archives Military exercise - Page 5 of 8 - New Eastern Outlook

On June 27, the latest Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) international exercise began in the Pacific Ocean, this time involving military units from 29 countries. The evolution of the format of these exercises corresponds closely to the changes in the political situation in the Indo-Pacific region as a whole.

The first thing to note is the launch on April 2, when they tested the hypersonic glider again (the previous launch of such a missile was Jan. 14) by firing a long-range heavy solid-propellant missile with a hypersonic warhead on a shortened trajectory. Hypersonic missiles fly at speeds of at least Mach 5 – five times the speed of sound – and are designed to be maneuverable on unpredictable flight paths and fly at low altitudes. At Mach 5 and above, such a missile can cover the 195-kilometer distance between Pyongyang and Seoul…

Pyongyang has successfully conducted a ground-based jet test of a solid-fueled engine for a new type of medium-range hypersonic missile.  Tensions on the Korean peninsula will likely continue to rise, and missile launches, drills, and visits by strategic bombers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear subs to Korea will continue.