It's the world's largest international maritime exercise and it's about to begin right in our backyard.

Breaking down the magnitude of this event, there's a record 22 nations represented with 42 surface ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft, and about 25,000 personnel participating.

RIMPAC is held every two years and it's now in its 23rd year.  For the next four weeks, military personnel from around the world will be taking part in what's being referred to as the Olympics of the Navy.

"But, instead of competing with each other, we like to consider it a gathering of gold medalists representing 22 different nations," said Vice Adm. Gerald Beaman, Commander of the U.S. Third Fleet.

According to the U.S. Navy, 80 percent of the world's population lives by the ocean; and 90 percent of the world's commerce moves by sea.  This emphasizes the importance of holding the biannual training.

"It's just critical to ensuring the safety of the sea lanes and the security on the world's oceans," said Adm. Cecil Haney, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

For the first time, Russia is participating in RIMPAC and New Zealand is back after a long absence.  Noticeably uninvited was China.  RIMPAC officials said they hope in the future to have China join in the crisis response exercise being practiced for the first time this year.

"We look for China to join us as a responsible nation responding to humanitarian assistance kinds of things," said Adm. Haney.

RIMPAC 2012 will feature the first demonstration of the U.S. Navy's "green" fleet -- ships and aircraft using biofuels.

On board the Australian frigate the HMAS Perth, the crew was busy getting ready for the exercises to launch next week.