US Army seeks to beef up Indo-Pacific alliance through land power

Gen. Ronald Clark/Photo courtesy of U.S. Army

By Ron Rocky Coloma

Just a week before 32 delegations are set to gather in Hawaii, the U.S. Army's commanding general appeared with measured clarity, outlining the significance of the upcoming Land Forces Pacific Symposium.

Fresh from engagements in Korea and across the Indo-Pacific, Gen. Ronald Clark framed the event as a “visible symbol of strength” and a reflection of deepening regional ties.

Set for May 13 through 15, the event dubbed "LANPAC 2025" is not merely a gathering of uniforms and flags. To Clark, it is the heartbeat of a strategy: building partnerships through land power, deterring conflict through trust and showing unity across the Indo-Pacific.

“We’re going to have 32 delegations here from different nations, with 16 chiefs of army represented,” Clark said. “That kind of presence shows the strength of our partnerships. Less does not deter.”

The symposium follows a flurry of recent military diplomacy in the region, including visits by the U.S. secretary of defense and a series of multinational exercises. For Clark, who assumed command of U.S. Army Pacific in November 2024, the timing is more than symbolic. It is strategic.

LANPAC 2025 is expected to spotlight the role of the U.S. Army in a region where tensions remain high. From disputed reefs in the South China Sea to deepening ties with allies like Japan, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines, the symposium will tackle security challenges head-on — but also quietly, with panels, bilats and informal dialogue.

“The theme this year is prevailing through land power,” Clark said, underscoring the Army’s emphasis on deterrence through readiness and partnership. “We campaign forward throughout the region for the purpose of preventing war.”

Clark was asked whether the so-called pivot to Asia had changed under a new presidential administration. He pushed back on the notion of any pivot at all.

“It’s about people,” he said. “It’s never been stronger.”

He stressed that the U.S. Army’s enduring relationships with regional partners — built over years of deployments, joint exercises and operational cooperation — are key to building deterrence and long-term resilience.

“Interoperability is the key for us,” Clark added. “Our ability to work together through proximity, interpersonal contact and campaigning builds trust.”

This trust, he said, will be on full display at LANPAC, where leaders from across the Indo-Pacific — including Australia, Japan, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea — will engage with U.S. commanders, industry experts and academic researchers.

“The Army is part of a broader strategic land power network,” Clark said. “We’re not just working with militaries. We’re working with local governments, academia, industry and families.”

Questions then turned toward U.S. Forces, Korea and the growing regional conversation about “strategic flexibility.” Would the Army support enabling those forces to operate more broadly throughout the Indo-Pacific?

Clark didn’t hesitate to spotlight the strength of that alliance.

“We have over 22,000 soldiers assigned to the Republic of Korea, and they literally have the responsibility to fight tonight,” he said.

He praised U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson and emphasized their regular contact.

“Our alliance is ironclad,” Clark said. “Those forces on the peninsula are trained, lethal and survivable.”

Referencing a recent visit, he described witnessing expert-level training exercises with Korean troops, including river crossings and badge qualifications. “Their will to improve every day — that’s what readiness looks like,” he said.

Security in the Pacific islands also came into focus, especially concerns emerging from Papua New Guinea. Clark welcomed the opportunity to speak on both challenges and opportunities.

“What we’ve been seeing across the region is countries bullying their neighbors,” he said. “Territorial disputes, coercion — we want to be the partner of choice.”

He pointed to a recent U.S. Army exercise in Papua New Guinea where Maj. Gen. Lance A. Okamura worked closely with military leaders in Port Moresby. That engagement, Clark said, is part of a broader effort to build relationships during periods of competition, not just crisis.

And while traditional security threats remain a focus, Clark noted the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

“Six of the 10 largest natural disasters in history have occurred in this region,” he said. “That’s why our ability to provide humanitarian assistance, from medical to engineering, is so important.”

Turning to large-scale exercises, Clark fielded a question about Talisman Sabre, the biennial U.S.-Australia drill. Was the Army planning to reuse tools like the Combined Joint Network Operation Security Center?

Instead of pinpointing one system, Clark emphasized the broader aim: improving interoperability across all joint warfighting functions.

“We’re deploying some capability to Australia that we’ve never deployed before,” he said, referencing the Third Multi-Domain Task Force’s coordination with the Australian 10th Brigade.

That capability includes long-range precision fire systems and communications technology to be tested across Australia’s vast terrain.

“Our ability to communicate at scale, pass target-quality data — that’s what will be tested,” he said.

Clark stressed that modernization must not come at the expense of allied collaboration.

“We can’t transform ourselves out of being able to talk to each other,” he said.

The discussion then shifted to the Philippines and the future of joint exercises like Cobra Gold. Could exercises expand? Would the U.S. provide mid-range strike systems to partners?

Clark said he was present at this year’s Cobra Gold, calling it the longest-standing military exercise in Asia. Thirty nations participated. He did not confirm any plans to supply weapons systems but underlined the strategic intent behind U.S. presence.

“The will and capability to deploy those assets is the key to deterrence,” he said. “We plan to do that whenever possible in order to ensure we prevent war.”

When asked about U.S. plans for Japan, Clark turned to the Army’s cutting-edge capability: Multi-Domain Task Forces. These units integrate space, cyber, long-range fires and information operations.

“Our ability to synchronize in time and space… to neutralize an anti-access, area-denial threat — that’s the goal,” he said.

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