Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies

What a successful workshop COFA 26 has been! Discussing national security coordination priorities and looking for ways to strengthen resilience in the face of gray zone threats led program participants to identifying opportunities to collaborate in the future. Mahalo to all those who participated in this event!

This week a National Defense University CAPSTONE cohort of 20 recently promoted US one-star officers visited DKI APCSS for briefings and discussion on the strategic landscape within the Indo-Pacific theater. Former PACOM Commander ADM Harry Harris served as the group leader and mentor.

Today, DKI APCSS kicked off a 2-day follow-up seminar on National Security Policy Development with participants from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. Aloha!

Last week, DKI APCSS was honored to receive Lt. Gen. James F. Glynn, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC), overseeing roughly 80,000 personnel in the Indo-Pacific region.
In collaboration with DKI APCSS, Commander Glynn led the recent Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium (PALS) 26 at the Center, and returned to present Director Suzy Vares-Lum with a certificate of appreciation for the Center's support. Subsequently, she took the opportunity to present him with a farewell certificate and "Peace Through Strength" Director's challenge coin as he heads toward his upcoming change of command and follow on retirement.
Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, sir. You’ve done so much for our country and are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you for your service.

We were pleased to welcome General Kim Ho-bok, Commander of the Republic of Korea Army's Second Operational Command (2OC), to exchange ideas in pursing security interests of both the Republic of Korea and the United States. During his visit, General Kim learned about DKI APCSS's role as an intellectual platform to strengthen regional deterrence and its outcome-based programs that advance solutions to regional challenges.

Last week, the Center was honored to welcome Fernando Barros, Chile's Minister of Defense, during a visit to Hawaii as part of the RIMPAC Distinguished Visitor Program.
This provided an opportunity to introduce Minister Barros to DKI APCSS, highlight the Center's professional education programs, and discuss engagement opportunities for Chilean military and civilian defense leaders while reinforcing the value of enduring partnerships and regional cooperation.

Lt Col. Chris Leroy (CSC 25-1) was recently awarded the Laulima Lanyard for completing his fellow project, through which CSC Fellows research, analyze, and propose a solution to an identified challenge or vulnerability, thereby contributing to deterrent efforts in the Indo-Pacific region. LeRoy, of the Nevada National Guard, is the State Partnership Program Director for Tonga / Fiji / Samoa.
LeRoy’s project established a two week Executive Public Leadership Course in Fiji and which was cohosted with the Fiji National University. The course was developed through a partnership between the Fiji National University, the College of Southern Nevada, the Nevada National Guard State Partnership Program, and the U.S. Embassy in Suva. The course will continue to be offered every year.

The Real AI Competition: Are We Adapting Fast Enough?
The AI competition is often framed as a race for the most powerful algorithms and computing systems—but what if the actual challenge is how quickly our institutions can adapt?
In Episode 59 of Dialogue, experts from four regional centers came together to examine AI, cyber, and emerging technologies through different strategic lenses. Their shared conclusion: technological innovation is advancing faster than human institutions can evolve.

Here are the key takeaways from the panel:
🌍 Governance & Agility: Dr. Nate Allen (Africa Center for Strategic Studies) highlighted that non-state actors are frequently outpacing state militaries in adopting generative AI. To win, governments must build agile institutions capable of rapid adaptation without sacrificing accountability.

⚙️ Sovereignty & Embodied AI: Dr. Inez Miyamoto (DKI APCSS) warned of the critical shift toward integrating AI into physical systems and supply chains. Maintaining readiness requires immense capital investment, computing sovereignty, and a workforce rooted in STEM.

❄️ Infrastructure & Resilience: Dr. Kelsey Frazer (Ted Stevens Center) reminded us that cloud-based AI relies on connectivity—a luxury in austere environments like the Arctic. True operational resilience means commanders must be able to make sound decisions even when data is degraded or denied.

🧠 The Human Dimension: Dr. Sae Schatz (George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies) argued that AI’s most profound long-term impact won't be computational, but cognitive. As deepfakes and algorithmic manipulation rise, safeguarding how we evaluate credibility and build trust is a matter of immediate national security.

Technological superiority alone will not determine strategic success. The decisive advantage belongs to those who can adapt their institutions, strengthen partnerships, and prepare leaders for a complex future.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode here: https://dkiapcss.edu/dialogue-episode-59-beyond-the-algorithm-why-the-ai-competition-is-really-about-adaptation/

Dialogue | Episode 59: Beyond the Algorithm - Why the AI Competition Is Really About Adaptation - Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies By Dr. James M. Minnich HONOLULU — July 15, 2026 Artificial intelligence is often portrayed as a race for technological superiority. Governments compete to develop more capable models, militaries explore autonomous systems, and companies invest billions in increasingly powerful algorithms. Yet the...

BLUF: Space is no longer just a supporting element of defense—it is the orbital high ground that will determine the speed, reach, and outcomes of future conflicts.

For decades, satellites were viewed as secondary tools for navigation and communication. Today, they are the backbone of modern military power.

In Episode 58 of Dialogue, Dr. Namrata Goswami (Professor of Space Security) joins the DKI APCSS to discuss this paradigm shift.

Key Takeaways:
• Strategic Elevation: China’s 2015 Military Strategic Guideline formally designated space as a "strategic high ground," transforming it into a central arena of competition.
• The First Strike: Future conflicts will likely start in orbit, focusing on efforts to blind, isolate, and disrupt space-enabled networks before conventional forces ever clash.
• Global Reach: The nation that secures its own space assets while denying them to an adversary wins a decisive operational advantage on Earth.

The Bottom Line:
Militaries cannot fight without space. If those networks are disrupted, conventional forces will immediately lose the visibility and coordination required to win.

Watch or listen to the full episode: https://dkiapcss.edu/dialogue-episode-58-the-orbital-high-ground-why-space-now-shapes-the-outcome-of-war/

Dialogue | Episode 58: The Orbital High Ground - Why Space Now Shapes the Outcome of War - Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies By Dr. James M. Minnich HONOLULU — July 6, 2026 For much of the Space Age, military planners viewed space as an indispensable but supporting domain. Satellites provided navigation, communications, missile warning, and intelligence, while the decisive contests of war remained firmly on land, at sea...

That’s a wrap on TSC 26-1! 🎉 Today, our senior Fellows culminated a week-long intensive program focused on regional deterrence, defense innovation, and burden sharing. They return to their capitals equipped with a shared conceptual framework, proving that the most resilient and adaptable alliances are the ones that will maintain peace in the Pacific. Congratulations to the newest members of our alumni Ohana!