United States Navy 3rd Fleet commander Vice Admiral Scott D. Conn has said the Philippine Navy’s delegation at RIMPAC 2020 is doing a phenomenal job. US 3rd Fleet is the RIMPAC lead.
“I would say up front, we are very happy to have the Philippines participating in RIMPAC here with their ship, [BRP] Jose Rizal,” Vice Admiral Conn said August 27 during a special phone briefing hosted by US Department of State’s Asia Pacific Media Hub.
Vice Admiral Conn added that the said “group of sailors, led by their captain, is doing a phenomenal job. And I think, as with all RIMPAC participants, those countries – and I’ve said it before – that share the values of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, we are glad to have them on. And that team is doing a very, very good job.”
In this year’s RIMPAC, ten nations sent 22 ships, 1 submarine, and more than 5,300 personnel to conduct naval drills at sea around the Hawaiian Islands.