We are proud to have as our guest, Brigadier-General Mark Goulden, a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) officer who is the Combined Forces Air Component Commander for this years Rim of the Pacific exercise, which is also known as RIMPAC -- the world's largest international maritime exercise, which began in 1971.

General Goulden is responsible for the air domain across the entire exercise, so his perspective is from the top.

This years exercise began on 29 June, and goes until 4 August. The exercise has twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft, more than 30 unmanned systems and 25,000 personnel which are participating in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

The exercise program included gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, diving and salvage operations. Additionally, the exercise also introduced space and cyber operations for all partner nations.

RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants, and that is critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans.

Following this years theme of Capable Adaptive Partners, RIMPAC forces exercised a wide range of capabilities, projecting the inherent flexibility of maritime forces, and helped to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

We greatly appreciate the time that Brigadier-General Goulden spent with us as he explained his perspective of the full spectrum of operations within the air component of the worlds largest maritime exercise.

Go Bold!