RIMPAC 2022 Officially Starts

The U.S. Navy launched the 28th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), the world’s largest international maritime exercise, June 29.

Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, four submarines, nine national land forces, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel will train and operate in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, June 29 to August 4.

Following RIMPAC’s theme of Capable Adaptive Partners, RIMPAC forces will exercise a wide range of capabilities, projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces and helping to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

RIMPAC 2022 Commander, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Michael Boyle, welcomed participants during a kick-off gathering of leaders from across the RIMPAC force.

“By coming together as Capable, Adaptive Partners, and in the scale that we are, we are making a statement about our commitment to work together, to foster and sustain those relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of the sea lanes and the security of the world’s interconnected oceans,” said Vice Adm. Boyle. “This is also how we find the areas where our national objectives overlap, where we can practice the procedures that will help to enable our interchangeability —the nexus of national will and interoperability.”

Royal Canadian Navy Rear AdmiralChristopher Robinson will serve as deputy commander of the (Combined Task Force) CTF, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Rear Admiral Toshiyuki Hirata as the vice commander, and Fleet Marine Force will be led by U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier GeneralJoseph Clearfield. Other key leaders of the multinational force will include Commodore Paul O’Grady of the Royal Australian Navy, who will command the maritime component, and Brigadier GeneralMark Goulden of the Royal Canadian Air Force, who will command the air component.

For the first time, the Republic of Korea Rear Adm. Sangmin An will serve as the CTF 176, RIMPAC’s amphibious task force. Republic of Singapore Navy Colonel Kwan Hon Chuong will serve as the Sea Combat Commander for CTF 176, and Royal Australian Navy Captain Michael Osborn CSM will serve as the Sea Logistics Commander, CTF 173.

This marks the first time the newly commissioned Royal Australian Navy Supply Class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ship HMAS Supply will participate in an international exercise, carrying-out replenishments at seas with participating navies.

This year’s exercise program will include gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, diving, and salvage operations. Additionally, the exercise will also introduce space and cyber operations for all partner nations.

“It’s great to see the exercise return to the scale that we have seen in previous years, enabling the combined forces of our 26 partner and allied nations to work together and learn from each other,” said RIMPAC CTF Deputy Commander Rear AdmiralChristopher Robinson of the Royal Canadian Navy.

“We are each maritime nations and we rely on each other to help keep our sea lanes free and open.

“RIMPAC provides us with the opportunity to grow and refine our individual and combined abilities, and our joint capacity to contribute to security in the Indo-Pacific region. This helps us all.”