Military Technology
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Features
Maritime Technology Competition
Strategic investments by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in naval technical expertise supported by military-civil fusion (MCF) programs and military public-private partnerships (PPP) are driving the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) advancements in maritime technology. Concerns are mounting among the United States and its Allies and Partners over the CCP’s rapid development of dual-use maritime technologies through MCF and PPPs. The…
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Features
Cultivating Success
SPENCER PETERSEN/U.S. DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Active wars and regional conflicts. Mounting tensions in the South China Sea. Reverberations from a pandemic. Competition between the world’s two largest economies. Record refugee and migrant flows. The complex and emerging security challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and the world require novel solutions, especially in an age of artificial intelligence (AI). Intelligence diplomacy may be…
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Features
Sea Control
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Daniel R. Post and U.S. Army Capt. Noël Bartley Traditionally, the United States Army has focused on land-based operations, with its role in maritime contexts largely limited to support functions. This is, of course, what armies are designed to do. However, changing geopolitical dynamics and evolving threats, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, necessitate a broader operational scope and…
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Features
U.S. MINEX Operations
FORUM Staff During Valiant Shield in June 2024, the United States Pacific Fleet executed the first major joint mining exercise (MINEX) in 50 years. The MINEX showcased the U.S.’s advanced and diverse capabilities in cross-domain maritime mining, emphasizing quick deployment and multiplatform flexibility. The resurgence of mining operations within the U.S. military marks a strategic pivot to a naval warfare…
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Across The Region
Dozens of countries endorse ‘blueprint’ for AI use in military, but China opts out
About 60 countries, including Indo-Pacific Allies and Partners such as the United States, have endorsed a “blueprint for action” to govern responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the military. China, however, was among those that declined to support the nonbinding document. The Responsible AI in the Military Domain summit in Seoul, South Korea, in September 2024 followed a similar…
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Global Commons
Philippines set to augment burgeoning arsenal with 20 F-16 fighter jets
FORUM Staff Persevering against increased aggression, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has set its sights on new fighter jets and related military assets. The United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in April 2025 announced the U.S. State Department’s approval to send 20 F-16 aircraft to the longtime Indo-Pacific ally. The $5.58 billion deal includes advanced avionics, radar,…
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Global Commons
Australia raises defense spending to accelerate military initiatives
Reuters Australia will hike defense spending by $628 million to boost the nation’s military capabilities, including manufacture of guided weapons, construction of a submarine base and expansion of a frigate program, Defence Minister Richard Marles said in March 2025. Marles has proposed a $6.66 billion rise in defense spending over the next four years, part of a previously announced $31…
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Global Commons
Drones to boost New Zealand Army’s combat, humanitarian missions
FORUM Staff The New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) recent deployment of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), including microdrones that are operational in barely a minute, will enhance reconnaissance and surveillance missions in combat zones and natural disaster areas, officials say. “The remotely operated systems are expected to reduce the risk to Soldiers operating in challenging environments by providing timely and accurate…
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Global Commons
Aero India 2025 showcases India-U.S. ties, Indo-Pacific security
Sentry Contributor Aero India, one of the Indo-Pacific’s largest aerospace exhibitions, commenced in February 2025 against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in the Indo-Pacific. The event highlighted the push for enhanced defense manufacturing and exports. “Aero India 2025 is an ideal forum to showcase U.S. defense aircraft and equipment and ultimately contribute toward our compatibility and interoperability with other…
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Global Commons
Singapore investing in uncrewed systems, restructuring Armed Forces amid shifting demographics
Sarah Chan Singapore is boosting deployment of uncrewed systems and reorganizing Armed Forces personnel as demographic shifts shrink the pool of potential military recruits. Over the past decade, the ratio of working‐age adults to retirees has fallen from 6-to-1 to less than 4-to-1, according to the Manpower Ministry. Singapore’s Defence Ministry is spearheading initiatives to mitigate the effects of an…
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