# U.S. Pacific Command Strengthens Indo-Pacific Security Cooperation Planning

U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) hosted the Capability Development and Planning Exchange (CAPEX) 2026 in Seoul, South Korea, convening over 300 defense and interagency stakeholders alongside more than 30 U.S. industry participants. The event focused on aligning security cooperation initiatives with strategic guidance to enhance deterrence, burden sharing, and the defense industrial base across the Indo-Pacific region. Key discussions emphasized accelerating delivery of critical warfighting technologies, improving partner interoperability, and fostering public-private partnerships to integrate advanced technologies into defense acquisition and sustainment processes.

- PACOM's CAPEX 2026 highlights increased collaboration between government agencies including the Office of the Secretary of War, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Department of State, and Department of Commerce, signaling coordinated efforts to support allied warfighting capacity.
- Industry stakeholders engaged in technology integration and security cooperation planning can leverage this alignment to identify procurement opportunities and contribute to accelerating technology delivery in the Indo-Pacific.
- The integration of technology security earlier in the acquisition lifecycle, as noted by senior officials, indicates evolving requirements that contractors should anticipate when pursuing defense contracts related to security cooperation.
- Organizations should consider how enhanced global demand forecasting and public-private partnerships may impact the defense industrial base and influence future contract solicitations in the region.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Contracting Vehicles
**Published:** September 29, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM)
- Office of the Secretary of War (OSW)
- Department of State
- Department of Commerce
- Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)

### Vendors
- Over 30 U.S. companies (Industry Day participants)

### Key Quotes
> 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.
> — Dennis Palalay, J551 Lead Planner for CAPEX 2026

> 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 9super-charge the defense industrial base to meet the U.S joint force and allied warfighting capacity while protecting the U.S. technology edge.
> — Jack Ellrodt, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for International Armaments Cooperation

### Sources
- [
	CAPEX 2026 Strengthens Security Cooperation Planning Across the Indo-Pacific > U.S. Pacific Command > Press Releases and Readout view
](https://www.pacom.mil/Media/Press-Releases-and-Readouts/Press-Releases-and-Readout-view/Article/4613276/capex-2026-strengthens-security-cooperation-planning-across-the-indo-pacific/) - Pacom