RIMPAC 2026: Missiles Strike 40,000-Ton US Ship Amid Powerful Explosions

Impressive footage was captured during one of the largest RIMPAC 2026 naval exercises as the US amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA-5) was turned into a sinking target off the coast of Hawaii.

USS Peleliu, which had long been decommissioned and weighed around 40,000 tons, was struck by several types of weapons as part of the SINKEX exercise. The drill is designed to simulate attacks against ships under real combat conditions.

The footage shows successive strikes on the US ship, accompanied by powerful explosions on board.

Two of the direct hits on USS Peleliu were carried out using Harpoon anti-ship missiles launched from a submarine.

Other weapons systems operated by allied forces, including those of Spain and Japan, were also involved in the simulated attack.

One new feature of the exercise was the deployment of an unmanned surface vessel (USV), which was used to strike the target in a scenario similar to “kamikaze” attacks.

Information released about the exercise indicates that this was the first time a USV had been used to attack a target ship during a US SINKEX exercise.

RIMPAC is held in the waters around Hawaii and is considered one of the world’s largest multinational naval exercises, bringing together US naval forces and those of various allied and partner countries.