US to expand disaster response training at RIMPAC in 2028

The United States will expand Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations in the 2028 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational military exercise. Speaking at a virtual press briefing attended by ANTARA in Jakarta on Wednesday, Commander Combined Task Force (CCTF) for RIMPAC 2026 Vice Admiral Jeffrey T. Jablon said the decision was made after similar activities in RIMPAC 2026 were deemed successful in improving the readiness of participating nations. “This exercise was so successful that we are going to expand HADR operations in RIMPAC 2028,” he said. Jablon explained that the HADR exercise during RIMPAC 2026 brought together military forces, interagency partners, non-governmental organisations, and international observers to train on core disaster response tasks, including mass casualty handling, medical triage, logistics coordination, and rapid delivery of aid. According to Jablon, the series of drills enhanced participants’ ability to respond to disasters on short notice while strengthening the trust and interoperability between nations needed when communities require assistance. “These activities improve our ability to respond on very short notice and strengthen the trust and interoperability we rely on when communities across the Pacific and the world need help,” he stated. RIMPAC 2026 involved 30 nations, more than 30,000 personnel, 31 surface ships, five submarines, and over 190 aircraft training in and around Hawaii for several weeks. A total of 35 Indonesian Navy marines also took part in the exercise. During the drills, participating forces conducted more than 500 maritime training events and responded to over 5,000 exercise-based problem scenarios. According to Jablon, these scenarios strengthened combined readiness across the maritime, air, cyber, and amphibious domains. Beyond HADR, RIMPAC 2026 tested more than 35 experiments focused on unmanned systems and new technologies. Jablon noted the exercise included demonstrations of shipboard 3D printing linked with autonomous drone delivery and unmanned resupply at sea. Jablon stressed that multinational cooperation through RIMPAC is vital because no single nation can secure the Pacific region alone. “When nations know each other, train together, and communicate well, they can respond more quickly and more effectively, whether to security challenges, humanitarian crises, or natural disasters,” he said.