Source: United States Navy
“As a major trading nation we have a natural obligation and interest in helping to maintain safety and freedom of navigation,” said German Cmdr. Oliver Klein, an NCAGS officer. “As the largest maritime exercise, RIMPAC encourages the international partnerships critical to open shipping routes, open markets and free trade on the world’s oceans.”
Dutch Navy Lt. Jacques Coffeng embarked underway aboard Motor Vessel Jean Anne, a civilian car carrier, for several days to exercise interoperability and partnership with NCAGS with the civil shipping industry.
“Lt. Jacques’ NCAGS experience exponentially increased our operability as a team aboard Jean Anne,” said U.S. Navy Strategic Sealift Officer Capt. Mary Jo Mustello, also embarked aboard Jean Anne. “NCAGS not only operates as a multinational force, but assures the shipping industry of a globally-enhanced security posture capable of keeping sea lines of communication open for merchant vessels.”
Aligned with the overall mission of the NCAGS community to liaise between the civilian shipping and military maritime communities, the shipping coordination team embarked personnel on shipping vessels in the Hawaiian operating area. These afloat coordination teams build trust and confidence between the communities to enable rapid responses to future crises.
Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 30 unmanned systems, approximately 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC 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. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.