Report on U.S. Military Power 2012 (37)

These exercises demonstrate new characteristics when compared with previous ones:

First, the scale of some of the exercises is unprecedented. Take the RIMPAC series as an example. In 2006, there were only eight participating countries. In 2010, that number rose to 14. In 2012, the number rose again to a record high of 22. 42 surface warships, six submarines, over 200 aircraft, and 25,000 military personnel took part in the 36-day exercise, making it the largest and longest of the RIMPAC series so far.

Second, training subjects in these exercises cover both non-traditional and traditional security issues. Multinational joint exercises led by the U.S. used to include mainly non-traditional security subjects such as maritime search and rescue, anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, and humanitarian relief. The 2012 exercises focus more on traditional subjects such as air combat, air defense, ground attack, close-air support, landing operations, anti-submarine operations, and maritime mine-sweeping, emphasizing joint efforts against military crises.

Third, exercises prepared against the so-called A2/AD threats are clearly targeting China and Iran. Exercises such as Internal Look 2012 and Austere Challenge 2012 are clearly aimed at Iran, while exercises such as Gold Cobra 2012, Balikatan 2012, RIMPAC 2012 are clearly targeting China. The exercises which were large in scale, high in frequency and intensity, and especially those that took place when tension in the region rose, naturally caused concern and anxiety, which in turn further intensified the situation, exerting a negative impact on world peace, stability, cooperation, and development.

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