Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Exchange Provides Exclamation Point to RIMPAC

HONOLULU — As this year’s biennal, multinational Rim of the Pacific naval exercise is drawing to a close, naval experts will gather in Honolulu to conduct the 2022 Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Exchange, or IMSE, essentially punctuating the end of RIMPAC with an exclamation point.

The conference is hosted by the Honolulu chapter of the Navy League and is being held at the Hawaii Convention Center Aug. 4-5.

According to retired Capt. Larry Osborn, a combination of three things makes IMSE unique — the location, the hybrid format and the enduring theme of building partnerships while focusing each year on a pertinent issue. The focus area for IMSE 2022 is “information sharing.”

As for location, “Honolulu, located in the mid-Pacific, is the only place where a U.S. combatant command is co-located with all its components,” said Osborn.

Produced as a hybrid event, Osborn said, “IMSE reaches across the Indo-Pacific and around the world with a live webinar broadcast while the in-person participants and attendees gather in a non-threatening, non-government venue to network informally and strengthen relationships.”

IMSE has no official  relationship with RIMPAC, but it’s not a coincidence that IMSE happens right after the exercise. The event will explore this “largest of all” multi-national exercise to learn how the maritime services from 26 nations share information and operate together effectively as a cohesive force.

Since it’s a RIMPAC year, there will be representatives of a number of Indo-Pacific militaries already here.  “We schedule IMSE to follow right after the RIMPAC closing to take advantage of the many foreign leaders present in Honolulu at that time,” Osborn said.

IMSE 2022 will feature a number of senior leaders from the region, to include remarks from the Australian and Korean heads of navy.  Adm. Sam Paparo, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, will open the conference with a luncheon keynote. Discussion about the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue will include perspective from Indian, Japanese and U.S. senior leaders. Finally, a panel of ship commanding officers from the U.S., Malaysia, Australia, Korea, and the Philippines will share their RIMPAC experience.  

Anyone can register at imsehawaii.org to attend IMSE 2022 virtually via a live webinar or in person. Registration will stay open until the conference opening. Navy League members attending in person receive a discount.