Tongan contingent joining US-led RIMPAC 2022 [1]
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - 20:24. Updated on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 - 20:24.
Forty-five Tongan soldiers from His Majesty’s Armed Forces will take part in the world largest international maritime exercise, the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2022) in Hawaii next month.
Led by Contingent Commander Lt. Col. Takau, the Tongans departed for Townsville on 23 May for three-weeks training and preparation with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR).
They will then embark on HMAS Canberra on their journey to Hawaii.
HMAF has been a regular participant in the past 20 years but missed out on the RIMPAC 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Commander Heiss Fonohema said today that the last time HMAF participated in the exercise was in 2018 and this is the first contingent to return.
The contingent will spend a few weeks training in Australia before departing by vessel for around three-weeks in Hawaii during the exercise. They are expected to return to Tonga in August, he said.
“In addition, it is good to see things starting to return to some normalcy, since the pandemic started, with this contingent being able to travel and participate in this exercise, as well as other training for our soldiers” said the Commander.
Largest maritime exercise
RIMPAC this year includes particpants from 27 countries with approximately 25,000 military personnel, 41 ships and more than 170 aircrafts.
The exercise is designed to foster cooperation to ensure the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.
RIMPAC first began in 1971.