By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Wallace Ciccarelli, Fleet Public Affairs Detachment Hawaii Public Affairs
Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet and Combined Task Force RIMPAC, Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear met with media at Naval Station Pearl Harbor to inform the public and to answer questions about this year's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise.
RIMPAC, hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet every two years, demonstrates the Navy's dedication to working with global allies in the region, protecting maritime freedoms and ensuring stability throughout the Pacific Rim.
"RIMPAC is the largest maritime exercise in the world. This year we bring together ten countries, over 35 ships, six submarines, over 150 aircraft and their crews and over 20,000 of the finest men and women the world can produce," said Locklear.
RIMPAC allows the U.S. Navy to remain a powerful component of combined and joint warfare and exhibits close cooperation with other services and international partners.
"The RIMPAC exercise is recognition of the global security environment we are in. It's a recognition that no one county can maintain the global security environment, and it requires all of us to work together to acquire this goal," said Locklear.
This year's RIMPAC exercise kicked off June 29 and continues through July 31 in the Hawaiian Islands area of operations.
"I cannot thank the people of the great state of Hawaii enough on how they have opened their arms to us and making us feel welcome here," Locklear said.
This is the 21st in a series of RIMPAC exercises conducted periodically since 1971.
RIMPAC brings together maritime, air and land forces from Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. This multinational exercise aims to prepare forces to be ready for a wide range of potential combined and joint operations and missions.