220722-M-WE079-1229 MARINE CORPS AIR STATION KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (July 22, 2022) A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1 Super Cobra participates in a sink exercise (SINKEX) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022, from Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. RIMPAC military forces fired upon and sunk the decommissioned ex-USS Denver (LPD 9), July 22, during a SINKEX to gain proficiency in tactics, targeting and live firing against a surface target at sea. SINKEX vessels are put through a certified cleaning process, including removing all environmentally harmful material including trash, floatable material, mercury, fluorocarbon and petroleum. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Courtesy photo by U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyler Andrews)