SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES –
U.S. 3rd Fleet hosted the final planning conference for Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 exercise at Naval Base Point Loma Annex, San Diego, March 25-28.
Approximately 750 personnel from 29 nations scheduled to participate in RIMPAC 2024 attended the FPC to conduct a review of the overall exercise plan and prepare to execute the world’s premier maritime exercise.
“During RIMPAC we stand up this awesome combined, capability. This week during the FPC and as we move forward, I want us to build something lasting and magnify our capability beyond RIMPAC,” said Vice Adm. Michael Boyle, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet. “We are a group of like-minded nations and militaries, who come together as partners: integrated and prepared during RIMPAC, but I want to challenge us to take that capability beyond this biennial exercise.”
The event afforded multi-national and U.S. participants the opportunity to disseminate information and update detailed exercise planning for RIMPAC 2024. The key objectives for the FPC included finalizing the schedule of events, live fire plan, major exercise documents, combined joint manning document and accommodation plans.
“This is the last opportunity the stakeholders will have to come together and be face-to-face before we go to Hawaii in the summer and execute the exercise,” said RIMPAC Coordinator Royal Australian Navy Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Gill, “We want to make sure everyone is in agreement and knows what the exercise looks like going forward.”
Senior leadership from participating nations met during a commander’s conference in preparation for the final planning conference, held for the first time in Wellington, New Zealand, February 19-23.
Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet and Tactical Training Group Pacific (TTGP) are scheduled to host a Staff Exercise during the month of April for senior leadership as the last planning event for RIMPAC at Naval Base Point Loma. Approximately 100 staff members from Japan, Chile, France, Canada, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the United States are anticipated to attend.
RIMPAC began in 1971 and was held annually until 1974, when it became a biennial exercise due to its large scale. The founding nations are the United States, Australia, and Canada. This will be the 29th RIMPAC, an exercise that provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.
An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.