200817-N-SH168-1048 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug.17, 2020) Wasp-class

200817-N-SH168-1048 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug.17, 2020) Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) transits the Pacific Ocean alongside the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187) during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020. Ten nations, 22 ships, 1 submarine, and more than 5,300 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from August 17 to 31 at sea around the Hawaiian Islands. RIMPAC is a biennial exercise designed to foster and sustain cooperative relationships, critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The partnerships. RIMPAC 2020 is the 27th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John McGovern)