RSS Supreme, a Formidable-class frigate from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), will participate in this year's Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) Exercise, which will take place in Hawaii from Monday to Aug 31.

The RSN will be participating in the exercise for the seventh time.

This year, it will undertake the role of task group commander.

Exercise Rimpac is hosted by the United States Navy biennially and is the world's largest international maritime exercise.

The US Pacific Fleet had said in a statement in April that this year's exercise would be an at-sea-only event in the light of Covid-19 concerns.

It added that the at-sea-only construct would ensure the safety of all military forces participating by minimising shore-based contingents.

There will also be no social events on shore this year.

When it was last held in 2018, the exercise involved 45 ships, five submarines, about 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel from 25 countries.

RSS Supreme's participation in Exercise Rimpac follows its involvement in a multinational group sail with five other warships from Australia, Brunei, Japan and the US from Aug 1 to 11 in the North Pacific Ocean.

The ships conducted a series of drills while transiting from Guam to Hawaii, with RSS Supreme leading a component of the sail, which included manoeuvring and communication exercises, underway replenishment and protection of a simulated high-value unit.

The group sail exercise was planned virtually, without any physical contact among navies.

The Ministry of Defence said in a statement yesterday that both exercises "are important avenues for the Republic of Singapore Navy to hone its competencies and strengthen interoperability and professional ties with other navies".

It added that RSS Supreme's crew were isolated and tested negative for Covid-19 prior to deployment.