The Asia Pacific region is about more than ocean breezes and palm trees. The vastness and volatile nature of the area poses significant challenges to ensuring stability and addressing threats. Information technology will bridge the gap between militaries separated by geography, and TechNet Asia-Pacific in Honolulu will be the focal point of discussions that will reveal the unique problems allied nations face in the Pacific Rim.
Co-sponsored by AFCEA’s Hawaii Chapter and AFCEA International, “The Pacific Theater, IT—Breaking the Distance Barrier” conference will be a forum for the exchange of ideas between the government and industry. In addition, prominent military leaders will discuss information about how information technology will support the warfighters of many nations. The event, which takes place November 4-6, 2003, features panels, a technology briefing and nearly 200 technology exhibits.
Lt. Gen. John A. Dubia, USA (Ret.), vice president for operations, AFCEA International, emphasizes that the role of countries in the Pacific Rim continues to have increased importance in ensuring global security and fighting the war against terrorism. Military leaders from all nations agree that a primary challenge is the sheer size of the area of responsibility—on the sea and land as well as in the air and in space. New homeland security and homeland defense responsibilities for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard add to the challenge.
The event promises to be an educational experience for attendees from the government as well as industry, Gen. Dubia says. Senior military leaders will have the opportunity to examine technology solutions, meet with industry representatives, and describe their requirements. Representatives from the commercial sector, particularly those from companies that have recently entered the government market, will have the chance to meet senior leaders who use information technology products and will be able to network with personnel from other firms to explore solutions or identify complementary skill sets, he states.
Joint training exercises in the Philippines ensure that U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps personnel can work in a coordinated manner during operations. Attendees at TechNet Asia-Pacific will hear top level military leaders from both services talk about their vision for cooperative operations in the area.The general points out that many U.S. commanding officers use this event as their primary venue for sharing information about U.S. technologies with allied nations. “The nature of the region demands that many nations work together to ensure security. However, that requires that other countries become aware of emerging capabilities and the role they play in operations. Interoperability is crucial. Having all of these U.S. technologies in one place allows military leaders from many nations to learn not only about the products but also about how they support warfighters,” Gen. Dubia relates.
In addition to the exhibits, the conference offers attendees the opportunity to gain insight about a variety of topics. Information will focus on the homeland security issues that Hawaii faces and on interagency and industry cooperation for all military and emergency operations in the Pacific Rim.
Military commanders from the forces in the region have been invited to share their vision of their area of responsibility. They will speak in detail about their own missions and will explain how the work carried out at their commands fits into the overall effort to ensure security in the world.
For the technology briefing, the Hawaii Chapter chose a topic of critical importance to Hawaiian companies. Act 221, which addresses tax credits for technology companies, will be discussed at the Tuesday morning briefing. Firms both large and small will gain important business economics advice in this session, Gen. Dubia says.
Panel sessions complement the overall theme of the conference, and subject matter was chosen to meet the needs of all the services that operate in the region. Topics include how information technology bridges the geographical gap in the region; issues related to homeland security in the area; the role of command, control, communications and computers (C
4) in the battlefield; and operationalizing C
4 in the Pacific. The general notes that, although the discussions will focus on the Asia Pacific region, the information and insights gained at these sessions are applicable worldwide.
“In an area as big as the Pacific Rim, it is information technology that connects all of the services and all of the militaries responsible for security. This conference offers a multi-service perspective of the challenges the United States and our allies face in the Pacific region. Industry representatives will gain a better understanding of how they fit into the missions in the area and the information technology that is required,” Gen. Dubia states.
Additional information on “The Pacific Theater, IT—Breaking the Distance Barrier” is available at
www.afcea.org/asiapacific2003.
