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battle gear
June 2007
Pacific Command Seeks Technologies for Expanding Missions
By Grace Jean
 HONOLULU — The chief of U.S. Pacific Command, Adm. Timothy Keating, asked for help in four broad categories: intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; undersea warfare; communications; and personal protection.
“We’re pretty good on the water. We’re pretty good above the water. We have remarkable technological advantages underneath the water. But I think we are most challenged in the undersea warfare area as we watch countries … develop their capabilities,” he said. “And those could prove to be a challenge for us if certain areas of the world heat up.”
Sending U.S. forces rapidly to Indonesia for tsunami relief efforts in 2005 is an example of non-military actions that can bring boiling points back down to moderate levels. Before the tsunami, relations between Indonesia and the United States were strained. But after the government provided aid and assistance to tsunami victims, officials noticed positive changes in the relationship.
“These humanitarian missions help shape the conditions for security and stability,” he said. The USS Peleliu and USS Tarawa amphibious assault ships this summer will provide similar services throughout the region, he added.
Cooperating with so many nations during tsunami relief operations exposed military leaders to a gap in communications capabilities with coalition forces. Keating said he wants flexible, inexpensive and reliable communications technologies that work with coalition and interagency partners.
To keep an eye on a region that stretches from the western coast of the United States to the eastern coast of Africa, Keating wants long range and high endurance surveillance systems.
“In so many cases, 80 to 90 percent solution on time is dramatically preferable to 100 percent solution later and over budget.”
Pacific Command officials are encouraging military researchers and contractors to bring their newly developed technologies to training events.
“If you want to come experiment, we have exercises routinely,” said Rear Adm. Andrew M. Singer, director for intelligence at PACOM. “Don’t come and give me the PowerPoint.”
Participation in exercises, such as Terminal Fury, a bilateral exercise in the Pacific, can offer insight into the operating environment, how commanders execute plans and what tactical needs war fighters have, said Keating.
“Engage with us vigorously to understand how we operate,” he said.
Representatives from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center came out for a recent seminar, and “in that session, we learned about a few undersea capabilities likely to mature within three years, and they have significant potential value for our operations.
“We are paying attention,” said Keating.
During a visit last year, the commanding officer of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Maj. Gen. Ted Bowlds, contributed several technologies that will be incorporated into the Talisman Sabre exercise this summer.
“I don’t think that the United States Department of Defense does a very good job of reaching out substantively to industry, to the science and technology community and saying, ‘here’s what we need,’” said Lt. Gen. Dan Leaf, deputy commander, Pacific Command. “We endeavor to do that.”
Please email your comments to GJean@ndia.org
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