11 Photos Of The World's Largest Multinational Naval Training Exercise

The 24th edition of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) is currently underway off the coast of Hawaii. Held on every even-numbered year, RIMPAC is the largest international maritime exercise in the world.

This year's exercise involves 49 surface ships, 6 submarines, over 200 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel from 22 nations. China, Indonesia, the U.S., the Philippines, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and Canada are just a few of the countries whose militaries are in attendance.

Although RIMPAC is primarily concerned with military coordination, the exercise also aims to enhance the countries' collective capability to undertake future humanitarian missions.

But one notable participant already is violating RIMPAC's spirit of cooperation - China recently sent a spy ship off the coast of Hawaii, apparently to spy on the exercises.

Sharing training methods is a major component of RIMPAC. Here, a U.S. instructor teaches members of the Mexico Naval Infantry Force to breath compressed air.

Nations cooperate in joint training operations. Here, Korean SEALS provide security alongside U.S. Marines and Peruvian Special Forces.

A U.S. Marine and his trained infantry dog operated alongside Korean SEALS and Peruvian Special Forces.

U.S. Special Forces also practiced a range of aerial-based maneuvers, such as fast-roping into a simulated battlefield from an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter.

This RIMPAC also marked the first time that an E model AH-64 Apache helicopter conducted deck landing qualifications on an amphibious assault ship.

A large portion of RIMPAC focused around naval operations and amphibious assault.

Here, a U.S. Marine Corps amphibious assault ship charges through the surf.

Indonesian Marines also practiced amphibious assaults with their own vehicles.

The U.S. Marine Corps used RIMPAC to test one of their newest vehicles: UHAC, a massive equipment transport.

Officers from the Singapore Navy and Army were present to watch the UHAC's test run.

Aside from the UHAC, the Marines tested the Legged Support System (LS3), a mule-like quadrupedal machine that can carry up to 400 pounds of gear.