Navy to conduct shorter RIMPAC in August

By Mallory Shelbourne / April 30, 2020 at 1:01 PM

The Navy announced today that it will hold a shorter version of its biennial maritime event known as Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In a press release, the service said it would conduct RIMPAC exclusively at sea and not host any social gatherings on land. The exercise will begin Aug. 17 and continue through Aug. 31.

"We remain committed to and capable of safeguarding allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region," Adm. John Aquilino, the commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, said in a statement.

"The flexible approach to RIMPAC 2020 strikes the right balance between combatting future adversaries and the COVID-19 threat," he added.

RIMPAC, which takes place off the shores of Hawaii, typically lasts for approximately five weeks and includes multiple countries. The 2018 RIMPAC took place from June 27 through Aug. 2 and included 26 countries.

U.S. 3rd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Scott Conn will steer the 2020 event. While the goal is to limit actions ashore, the service said it can utilize Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for command and control, in addition to logistics.

The Navy is billing the focus for the 2020 RIMPAC as "Capable, Adaptive, Partners" and will feature "multinational anti-submarine warfare" as part of the events.

The announcement comes as the Pentagon grapples with the COVID-19 outbreak and how to continue operations and training while adhering to stringent social distancing guidelines meant to slow the spread of the virus.

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