120728-O-ZZ999-003 WAIMANALO, Hawaii (July 28, 2012) Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters approach for a landing at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows during the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 exercise. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in the biennial RIMPAC exercise from June 29 to Aug. 3, in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The world'Äôs largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world'Äôs oceans. RIMPAC 2012 is the 23rd exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Canadian Forces photo by MCpl Marc-Andre Gaudreault, Canadian Forces Combat Camera/Released)
Two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 463 take off after delivering Marines and Canadian soldiers as part of a noncombatant evacuation operation during exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012 at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, July 26, 2012. RIMPAC is a U.S. Pacific Command-hosted biennial multinational maritime exercise designed to foster and sustain international cooperation and security on the world’s oceans. (DoD photo by Cpl. Reece Lodder, U.S. Marine Corps/Released)