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Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) recently hosted the Engineer Theater Posture Summit at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, bringing together more than 80 engineers and experts from across PACAF, INDOPACOM, and across the Department of Defense.
Following the inaugural Theater Posture Summit held in 2023 that focused on strategies to target infrastructure improvements and equipment procurement, this year’s event continued discussions of setting the theater and focused on infrastructure and readiness priorities in the Indo-Pacific.
A key focus of the summit was on the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) strategy and its importance in the Indo-Pacific theater amid the ongoing Great Power Competition. ACE involves shifting operations from centralized, physical infrastructures to a network of smaller, dispersed locations, providing flexibility for friendly forces and complicating circumstances for adversaries. This strategy emphasizes rapid deployment, quick establishment of forward operating bases, and the ability to operate from austere locations with minimal infrastructure.
"In this era of Great Power Competition, our ability to respond swiftly and decisively is critical and as engineers, we are leading the way in setting the theater," Col. Kevin Osborne, Command Engineer for PACAF, stated in his opening remarks. "Our adversaries are rapidly innovating and developing technologies with new warfighting capabilities and we must navigate those challenges, seize opportunities, and prepare for the future. We will do this by being adaptable, resilient, investing in emerging technologies, and embracing innovation to improve our operational effectiveness and be ready to support and counter those threats.”
The summit provided a platform for engineers across the military to share best practices, discuss technological advancements, and address the unique challenges of the Indo-Pacific. Topics included base resilience and infrastructure, airfield damage repair, and joint exercise opportunities.
The infrastructure working group concentrated on establishing hub-and-spoke locations across the theater. They addressed issues related to Munitions and Explosives of Concern, logistics, and environmental processes.
The readiness working group focused on opportunities and challenges involving Airfield Damage Repair capabilities, Joint Engineer Exercise Opportunities, the Air Force Force Generation model, readiness training, and the integration of Air National Guard and Reserve engineers. Discussions also included advancements in technology to enhance setting the theater efforts.
Major Tim Lord, Deputy Branch Chief for Planning and Integration for PACAF Civil Engineers, was one of the summit’s speakers and showcased innovative solutions through the Air Force Research Laboratory’s AFWERX program. He highlighted the rapid development and fielding of new technologies to solve pressing challenges focused on expedient basing.
"With the AFWERX program, we aim to showcase innovative potential technology solutions in real-world environments," stated Maj. Lord. “We’re looking to leverage technologies that have the potential to not only enhance the posture of the Air Force. With the logistical challenges across the vast Indo-Pacific, technologies that can leverage local materials or reduce our logistical requirements, all have the potential to help play a role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, which benefits us all.”
Maj. Lord provided examples of new and off-the-shelf technologies and products that could be utilized through AFWERX, including products to enhance corrosion and erosion protection of critical equipment and technology solutions to support autonomous heavy machinery operation for 24/7 airfield repairs in austere locations.
The summit underscored the pivotal role engineers play in setting the theater in the Indo-Pacific. As adversaries rapidly innovate and develop new warfighting capabilities, the discussions provided a unique opportunity to emphasize the need for adaptability, resilience, and investment in emerging technologies. By embracing innovation and enhancing operational effectiveness, PACAF’s engineers are ensuring the U.S. Air Force remains prepared to support joint interoperability with Allies and Partners, and ready to counter any threats in the era of Great Power Competition.
| Date Taken: | 05.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2024 03:37 |
| Story ID: | 473204 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 427 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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