4 Takeaways from AFCEA TechNet Indo-Pacific 2025

Marine Corps Forces Pacific CIO Robert Sholtis said modernization across the Indo-Pacific requires constant coordination among industry, acquisition teams and warfighters to keep pace with emerging threats.

Operating in some of the world’s most complex environments, MARFORPAC must rapidly adopt, test and scale technologies like artificial intelligence to stay ahead of adversaries. Sholtis urged industry to bring forward innovative, scalable solutions, noting that the command is prepared to integrate and operationalize new capabilities quickly when they align with mission needs. This close partnership, he said, will ensure Marines have the tools they need to maintain technological and tactical advantage across the region.

Gen. Ronald Clark, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, described the command as the Army’s “innovation test bed,” leading transformation across the world’s largest theater. From fielding next-generation command-and-control systems to testing multi-domain task forces equipped with precision fires, space, cyber and electronic warfare capabilities, Army Pacific is redefining how forces operate across contested environments.

Clark stressed that modernization is not solely about technology but about people — ensuring soldiers remain trained, agile and adaptable. He also underscored that transformation must advance in concert with allies, industry and academia to maintain an asymmetric edge and ensure forces can “shoot, move, communicate, medicate, fight and win” together across the Indo-Pacific.

Military leaders across the Pacific theater are turning to artificial intelligence to gain speed, precision and situational awareness in complex environments.

Adm. Stephen Koehler, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, called AI one of his top priorities to help commanders make faster, more informed decisions. Marine Col. Jared Voneida compared AI to a “sports car” that depends on smooth, high-capacity data pathways — underscoring the need for standardized, accessible data and resilient transport networks.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps’ new Digital Transformation Team is piloting ways to digitize workflows and expand secure data pipelines to enable real-time AI integration across domains. Army leaders echoed this call, noting that building robust, flexible architectures is critical to sustain AI-driven decision support when networks are strained or disconnected.

Brig. Gen. Michael Smith, J6 for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said his team has identified 30 major IT gaps that limit the command’s ability to modernize systems and improve interoperability across the region. These gaps include limited visibility into defense and civilian critical infrastructure and slow incident response capabilities across vast distances.

Smith called on industry to provide automated tools and agile solutions that can respond to threats at speed and scale, noting that “any automated capabilities for hunt and clear would be super welcomed.”

Over the past year, Indopacom has rapidly expanded its use of artificial intelligence to enhance command functions and situational awareness, with plans to integrate additional AI capabilities across logistics, cyber and communications. Smith emphasized that innovation partnerships — and faster testing and integration cycles — are key to overcoming the command’s modernization challenges.