LANPAC 2026: Panel Discusses the Importance of Prevailing Through Partnerships

HONOLULU– Senior military leaders and defense experts gathered during the 2026 Land Forces Pacific (LANPAC) Symposium and Exposition panel discussion, “Prevailing Through Partnerships,” to discuss how allied and partner nations across the Indo-Pacific are strengthening interoperability, enhancing deterrence, and building enduring relationships capable of responding to an increasingly complex security environment, May 14.

The panel was moderated by Gen. Ronald Clark, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, and included Maj. Gen. Matthew Mowery, deputy commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific; Maj. Gen. Joseph Pasamonte, commander of the 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division of the Philippine Army; Gen. Masayoshi Arai, chief of army of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force; and Lt. Gen. Simon Stuart, chief of army of the Australian Army. Leaders emphasized the importance of trust, persistent presence, and multinational cooperation in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Throughout the discussion, panelists emphasized how combined training, operational cooperation, and shared strategic interests have strengthened the land power network across the region and transformed collective will into collective capability.

Stuart said the Indo-Pacific security environment has created a unique opportunity for allies and partners to work together through shared necessity and mutual interests.

“We have almost a perfect storm to create unity of effort through unity and purpose, founded in our shared interest to prevent a hot war in our region,” Stuart said. “We have made exceptional progress … and we’ve actually achieved a huge amount together.”

Arai highlighted Japan’s commitment to regional engagement and defense cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. Through an interpreter, Arai said Japan must “continue to improve the qualities of the defense cooperation … and contribute to peace and stability” across the region.

Panelists also discussed how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities, and unmanned systems, are reshaping how militaries train and operate together. Pasamonte stressed that while modernization remains critical, military leaders must continue learning from past conflicts.

“While we’re trying to innovate moving forward … we must try to look back,” Pasamonte said. “We also look at our past and try to harness all those lessons that we learned.”

Mowery said trust and interoperability remain essential as allies continue to integrate new technologies and operate together across the region.

“The Marine Corps is committed to being the first island chain force, and how we do that is through our partnerships,” Mowery said. “It’s through consistent relationship building … and building trust in those relationships.”

Much of the discussion also focused on multinational exercises such as Balikatan, Talisman Sabre and Yama Sakura, which leaders described as increasingly integrated demonstrations of combined readiness and deterrence. Stuart said the exercises reflect the region’s evolution “from collective will to demonstrating collective capability … and now into a recognizable campaign.”

Leaders returned to the importance of mutual trust as the foundation for successful partnerships. Stuart described trust as “purely a human endeavor” that “requires the investment of time,” while Mowery emphasized that long-term presence alongside allies helps strengthen regional relationships.

Pasamonte echoed those remarks, emphasizing that trust is built through personal interaction between service members during training and operations.

“For you to gain trust … you need to sit down with them, eat with them, drink with them,” Pasamonte said. “I think that also applies to our soldiers.”

The panel also addressed the enduring relevance of land forces within the Indo-Pacific theater, emphasizing that land power remains essential to deterrence, sovereignty, and sustained operations.

“At the end of the day, the greatest battle would be fought on land,” Pasamonte said. “When we’re called, we are there, and we will fight and win this fight.”

As the discussion concluded, leaders described success in multinational partnerships as the ability to preserve peace, maintain freedom of movement, and demonstrate a united commitment to deterrence across the Indo-Pacific.

“Ultimately, the continuing objective is a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Stuart said. “The demonstration of organized, synchronized collective capability … is having a pretty significant deterrent effect.”

LANPAC 2026 brought together military leaders, government officials, and defense industry representatives from across the Indo-Pacific region to discuss land power cooperation, security challenges, and future operational concepts.