Interviews | Security | East Asia

Operationalizing Indo-Pacific Defense and Deterrence

Insights from Kimberly Lehn.

A landing craft, air cushion, assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, transits the South China Sea during Exercise Balikatan 24, Apr. 27, 2024.

The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Kimberly Lehn – executive director and head of national security, Pacific Forum International, in charge of the Honolulu Defense Forum – is the 509th in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.”

Identify the key themes of the 2026 Honolulu Defense Forum. 

The overall theme of the 2026 Honolulu Defense Forum (HDF) was centered on how we operationalize Indo-Pacific readiness and deterrence. The conversation was not just about identifying threats, but about how to turn urgency into practical capability now. HDF themes on strengthening credible deterrence in the near term; moving from networked concepts to real multi-domain and multi-nation architectures; hardening critical systems against cyber, space, and conventional threats; using information, AI, and data for operational advantage; and revitalizing the defense industrial base through stronger partnerships and investment reflected that objective.

What stood out most was that deterrence was treated as much broader than just military power. HDF emphasized that economic resilience, supply chains, energy security, data integration, and public-private coordination all sit inside the deterrence equation now. There was also a strong sense of urgency tied to China’s timeline and the narrowing window for preparation.

How can deterrence in the Indo-Pacific be integrated across multiple dimensions? 

While HDF centered on military deterrence and readiness, one of the clearest takeaways from the forum was that deterrence in the Indo-Pacific must be integrated across military, economic, technological, information, and diplomatic dimensions. In essence, deterrence cannot be achieved through military means alone. It also requires whole-of-government coordination, deeper interoperability with allies and partners, public-private sector cooperation, and investment that can provide alternatives to the region, develop new innovative technologies and capabilities, and foster broader societal resilience so infrastructure and populations can withstand pressure in a crisis.

So practically, that means a few things. First, it means forward posture, visible presence, and realistic combined exercises that show combat credibility. Second, it means integrating data, AI, and secure information sharing so coalition forces can operate faster and with a common picture. Third, it means resilient logistics, energy, ports, undersea cables, and distributed stockpiles so the force can sustain operations across distance. And finally, it means economic and industrial coordination that reduces dependency on China and strengthens the coalition’s ability to produce, repair, and surge under pressure. That is what integrated deterrence looks like in real terms.

Examine how U.S. and allied partnerships are deterring China’s advances in defense and technology as a peer competitor. 

The Honolulu Defense Forum underscores that alliances are a core source of strategic advantage. U.S. alliances with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and relationships with other partners are the bedrock of deterrence because our combined efforts make us much stronger together when we have the geographic access needed, industrial capacity to maintain and surge capability, and the capital and technology to out-innovate and compete in areas that China cannot easily replicate.

That matters in two ways. On the defense side, allied partnerships expand access, posture, exercises, missile defense coordination, and coalition planning. On the technology and industrial side, they help create diversified production networks, shared standards, and co-development pathways across advanced areas like AI, cyber, undersea systems, and manufacturing. HDF findings demonstrated the need for allied industrial integration for munitions development, shipbuilding and ship sustainment, stronger common standards, and faster implementation of multilateral mechanisms.

The broader point is that China may be formidable in scale, especially in manufacturing........

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