Firing the Big Guns at RIMPAC - Norway. Public domain image

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PACIFIC OCEAN (July 16, 2016) - A Close-In Weapons System (CWIS) is fired from the fo’c’sle of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83) as part of Rim of the Pacific 2016. Howard is underway participating in maritime exercises with partner nations as part of Rim of the Pacific 2016. Twenty-six nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 30 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 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 2016 is the 25th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Siobhana R. McEwen/Released)