The event brought together more than 300 security cooperation stakeholders from across the Department of War and the interagency to set conditions that reinforce the Secretary of War and U.S. PACOM strategy to restore deterrence, increase burden sharing with allies and partners, and energize the U.S. defense industrial base. 

Hosted by the U.S. PACOM Security Cooperation Division, CAPEX included representatives from the Office of the Secretary of War, Department of State, Department of Commerce, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency from Washington, along with representatives from  U.S PACOM headquarters, its components, and members of the U.S Military Groups from across Indo-Pacific region.

Participants aligned country-level engagement and security cooperation initiatives with theater objectives, posture priorities, and strategic guidance from the 2026 National Defense Strategy, America First Arms Transfer Strategy, Acquisition Transformation Strategy – Rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom, and U.S. PACOM’s posture and campaign plans.

Mr. Jack Ellrodt, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for International Armaments Cooperation, noted that aligning the Defense Cooperation Agency and Defense Technical Security Agency under OSW-Acquisition and Sustainment is facilitating earlier integration of technology security into the acquisition life-cycle and improving global demand forecasting that will “super-charge” the defense industrial base to meet the U.S joint force and allied warfighting capacity while protecting the U.S. technology edge. 

 “Our core strength lies in the ability of our U.S Military Groups to synchronize country strategies with our broader theater-level objectives. CAPEX helps planners turn strategic guidance into concrete, legally sound, and executable programs,” said Mr. David Jensen, U.S. PACOM Security Cooperation Division Chief.

Attendees examined regional trends shaping capability development, including information and cyber operations, low-cost unmanned systems, and long-range precision fires. They identified opportunities to strengthen partner capabilities, burden sharing, and interoperability, while enhancing access, basing, and overflight.

Participants explored how economic statecraft, public-private partnerships, resilient infrastructure, and the defense industrial base can support security cooperation and address operational capability gaps in the Indo-Pacific.

Working groups developed practical initiatives and identified follow-on requirements in cooperative armaments development and partner industrial capacity, precision-fires planning and interoperability, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, integration of emerging U.S. defense industry and partner capabilities into joint exercises, and space-cooperation planning.

CAPEX featured an “America First Arms Transfer Strategy” roundtable, a Department of Commerce briefing on advocacy processes, and an Industry Day with over 30 U.S. companies focused on accelerating delivery of critical warfighting technologies. In addition to the formal program, military service members completed service-specific physical fitness assessments and training throughout the week.

“CAPEX enables us to align priorities, identify opportunities for collaboration, and direct resources toward the efforts that will produce the greatest operational and strategic return,” said Dennis Palalay, J551 Lead Planner for CAPEX 2026.

The exchange concluded with U.S. MILGP participants briefing their respective plans to advance capability development, partner interoperability, and burden sharing.

About U.S. Pacific Command

U.S. Pacific Command strengthens alliances and partnerships, enhances regional security, and supports a free and open Pacific.

Media Contact:

U.S. Pacific Command Public Affairs Office

Phone: (808) 477-1341

Email: pacom.pao.media@navy.mil

Website: www.pacom.mil