Rear Adm. William R. Merz, commander, Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command observes USS Carl Vinson while aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage off the coast of Southern California during Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2014. Twenty-two nations, 49 ships and SIX submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC exercise from June 26 to Aug. 1, 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 2014 is the 24th exercise in the series that began in 1971.