PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) Adm. Scott Swift will deliver opening remarks to announce the beginning of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 during a press conference July 5 at 10 a.m. on pier S-1A, located on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

Hosted by U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2016 will be led by U.S. Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, commander of the U.S. Third Fleet (C3F), who will serve as the Combined Task Force (CTF) Commander and who will also provide remarks.

The following component commanders, along with senior representatives from each participating nation, are expected to be in attendance and will be available during a brief question and answer session: Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Scott Bishop, Deputy Commander CTF; Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Rear Adm. Koji Manabe, Vice Commander CTF; Royal Australian Navy Commodore Malcolm Wise, Combined Forces Maritime Component Commander; Royal Canadian Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaise Frawley, Combined Forces Air Component Commander; Royal New Zealand Navy Commodore James Gilmour, Combined Forces Amphibious Component Commander.

This year's exercise includes forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

News media interested in covering the RIMPAC 2016 opening press conference should contact the RIMPAC Combined Information Bureau (CIB) by 4 p.m., Friday, July 1, at 808-472-0235 and meet at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Nimitz Gate Pass and ID no later than 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5.