An LCAC hovercraft zooms through the water during an amphibious assault on Pyramid Rock Beach in Hawaii July 30, 2016. (Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII — The Rim of the Pacific exercise staged amphibious assaults in Hawaii and Southern California on Saturday, the finale of the biennial naval exercise that included more than two dozen nations.
“This represents two years of planning, but it also represents those 26 nations coming together,” said Brig. Gen. Ray Descheneaux, commander of Fleet Marine Forces for RIMPAC.
The amphibious assaults, which included aircraft and water vessels, “had a whole bunch of moving parts,” he said.
The assaults were part of a warfighting scenario created for the exercise, but such landings have much wider applications in the Pacific region.
“Although we’re using this amphibious forceful entry for this scenario, it will reflect itself in so many of the different things we do,” Descheneaux said, referring to the numerous natural disasters in the region for which the U.S. military is asked to provide relief.
The provisional Marine Air-Ground Task Force that made the assault on Pyramid Rock Beach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii consisted of 2,096 Marines, sailors and foreign military personnel.
Among the ships involved were the USS America and USS San Diego.
The air combat element for the assault included every type of aircraft used by the Marine Corps with the exception of the AV-8B Harrier.
An LCAC hovercraft zooms through the water during an amphibious assault on Pyramid Rock Beach in Hawaii July 30, 2016. (Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Marines prepare their positions as part of the final amphibious assault for Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaii, July 30, 2016.
(Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Two amphibious assault vehicles bob in the waves near Pyramid Rock during a drill for Rim of the Pacific July 30, 2016. (Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Aircraft fly in support the amphibious landing that culminated the Rim of the Pacific exercise July 30, 2016, at Marine Corps. Base Hawaii.
(Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
American and Japanese amphibious forces haul their watercraft onto the beach during the landing at Pyramid Rock Beach July 30, 2016.
(Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force trudge ashore during the RIMPAC amphibious assault on Oahu July 30, 2016.
(Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force land on Pyramid Rock Beach with Company E, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, July 30, 2016.
(Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
Marines follow an amphibious assault vehicle during the landing at Pyramid Rock Beach July 30, 2016 as part of the Rim of the Pacific exercise. (Bonnie Grower/Special to Stars and Stripes)
