HONOLULU – Addressing leaders from 32 nations at the Land Forces Pacific (LANPAC) Symposium, Lt. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, Commanding General of America’s First Corps, during the panel, “Shoulder to Shoulder: Applying Joint Land Power in Multilateral Exercises for Regional Security,” outlined that the joint and multinational force must be so proficient in demonstrating warfighting readiness that it deters conflict across the Indo-Pacific through strength and preparation alone.
Spanning 17 time zones and home to over four billion people, the Indo-Pacific is a vast, dynamic region where America’s First Corps serves as the U.S. Army’s operational headquarters. It manages more than 60,000 Soldiers across key locations including Washington (7th Infantry Division), Alaska (11th Airborne Division), and Hawaii (25th Infantry Division), while maintaining a persistent presence west of the international date line, to train alongside partners and allies and deter aggression at key locations and times. This strategic positioning, and flexibility to project rapidly, enables I Corps to respond to crisis, competition, and conflict across the theater.
Establishing I Corps’ presence in the theater as tangible and persistent, McFarlane highlighted soldiers across the corps “conduct 40 different exercises with over 20 nations” annually, emphasizing that these exercises are not just events on a calendar, but are critical rehearsals at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels, to ensure trust is built, tactics are validated, and integration becomes instinct.
Reinforcing the importance of combat readiness across the multinational force, McFarlane was joined on stage by Maj. Gen. Yann Latil, Commander for French Forces in New Caledonia, Maj. Gen. Ash Collingburn, Commanding General of the 1st Australian Division, Maj. Gen. Charles Lombardo, Commanding General of the 2nd Infantry Division/ ROK-US Combined Division, and Col. Craig Solomon Chief of Force Development, Papua New Guinea Defense Force.
Echoing the importance of credible land power capabilities in the region, McFarlane recognized partnerships and alliances are not just a strategic advantage, but the foundation for how the multinational force builds readiness and expands capability to deter aggression across the Indo-Pacific.
The “partners and allies that we are working with give us an outsized impact in terms of our deterrence efforts as we work together and continue to build lethality and our ability to operate in the Pacific area of responsibility,” said McFarlane.
The panel discussed the collective importance of enhancing warfighting readiness, generating interoperability in meaningful ways, and ensuring the theater’s joint and combined force remains ready, adaptable, and unified in the face of evolving challenges.
As this spring’s LANPAC highlights the strength and commitment of allied and partner forces to Indo-Pacific security and stability, America’s First Corps is preparing to join approximately 30,000 personnel from 19 nations in one of this summer’s largest demonstrations of interoperability and collective readiness.
At Talisman Sabre 25, Australia will host its most complex joint and multinational exercise. Spanning five domains, land, air, maritime, space, and cyber, and covering a broad geographic area, the exercise will showcase integrated military capabilities through rigorous, realistic scenarios. Talisman Sabre is a clear demonstration of the unified commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and reinforces the themes of cooperation and synchronization emphasized throughout LANPAC.
Whether through strategic discussions at symposiums like LANPAC, or in-the-dirt demonstrations of land force capabilities at exercises across the region, America’s First Corps continues to lead the U.S. Army’s land power initiatives throughout the Indo-Pacific working alongside joint and multinational partners and allies.
Closing out his panel, McFarlane emphasized the importance of building tangible warfighting readiness and credible deterrence across the multinational force. “I said it earlier this week, I’ll say it again. We don’t know when we’re going to operate or fight next, but we know we’re going to operate with our partners, allies, and like-minded nations as we move forward.”
With that clarity, McFarlane’s top priority for America’s First Corps is ever relevant and enduring. Building warfighting readiness to deter aggression and, if necessary, win in the Indo-Pacific theater.
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