Air Force ramps up for Pacific exercise
by Tech. Sgt. Cohen Young
Defense Media Activity-Hawaii

6/28/2010 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) -- A C-17 Globemaster III from here dropped supplies to Marines on the island of Hawaii June 24 as part of the Rim of the Pacific exercise.

This is the first year that C-17's are participating in RIMPAC, the largest maritime, biennial exercise in the world, which is in its 22nd year of existence. Interoperability is a key element of regional security, and RIMPAC tests participating nations and strengthens their ability to communicate and operate in simulated air, land and maritime scenarios.


RIMPAC will include 14 nations, 34 ships, five submarines, more than 170 aircraft, and 20,000 people from Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and the Unites States. Brazil, India and New Zealand will be sending observers.

The exercise runs from June 23 through Aug. 1 in the Hawaiian operating area in and around the islands of Hawaii.

Fifteen units from the Air Force and associated members will begin arriving here toward the end of the month as part of the combined air component for the exercise