07/09/2016: The Australian Defence Force is deploying three ships, three aircraft and more than 1650 personnel to take part in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 off the coast of Hawaii and California.
The multinational activity held from 30 June to 4 August 2016 is the world’s largest maritime exercise and includes more than 25, 000 personnel from 26 countries.
RIMPAC seeks to enhance interoperability between Pacific Rim armed forces, ostensibly as a means of promoting stability in the region to the benefit of all participating nations.
The exercise helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.
Credit: Australian Ministry of Defense:7/4/16