United States
Australia
United Kingdom
Europe
New Zealand
Canada
SAN DIEGO — The biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise will bring 31 nations to operate in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 24 to July 31, 2026, assembling approximately 40 surface ships, five submarines, 140 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel.
Coinciding with the United States’ 250th anniversary, the event emphasizes longstanding relationships with international partners built on trust, cooperation and shared values, and highlights people-to-people ties as central to collective security.
The theme for 2026 is “Partners: Integrated and Prepared,” underscoring teamwork, multinational cooperation and trust, interoperability, and the pursuit of respective national objectives to strengthen integrated and prepared partners.
Hosted by the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the exercise will be led by the Commander of the U.S. 3rd Fleet, who will serve as the Combined Task Force commander. Chile will serve as deputy commander of the task force, Japan as vice commander, the Republic of Korea will lead the maritime component, and Canada will lead the air component.
Building on the 2024 iteration with a larger contingent of partners, RIMPAC 2026 will demonstrate the flexibility of maritime forces across a wide range of missions, including amphibious operations, gunnery and missile proficiency, anti-submarine warfare, air defense exercises, military medicine, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counter-piracy, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, and diving and salvage operations. Participants will train and operate together to strengthen collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
