SAN DIEGO (July 7, 2022) Capt. Matthew Thomas, right, commanding officer of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27), salutes Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, left, commander, Combined Task Force 177, during a command visit as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 in Southern California. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 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 while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devin Kates)