Australian army soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Royal

Australian army soldiers from Alpha Company, 1st Royal Australian Regiment, conduct a raid from Amphibious Assault Vehicles driven by U.S. Marines from Combat Assault Company, 3rd Marine Regiment, as part of Rim of the Pacific 2012, July 9. The soldiers and Marines are part of 2,200 personnel from nine nations who comprise Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force 3, Combined Force Land Component Command. The CFLCC is conducting amphibious and land-based operations in order to enhance multinational and joint interoperability. Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC exercise from June 29 to Aug. 3, in and around the Hawaiian Islands. The world's 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's oceans. RIMPAC 2012 is the 23rd exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Tyler L. Main/Released)