News

Readout of Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Ms. Cara Abercrombie's Travel to the Republic of Korea
September 17, 2024 — Department of Defense Spokesman Lt. Col. Garron Garn, USMC, provided the following readout: Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Ms. Cara Abercrombie, returned from travel after participating in bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral meetings in the Republic of Korea (ROK)... MORE

U.S.-India INDUS-X Initiative Convenes in Silicon Valley for Third Summit
September 10, 2024 — The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) participated in the third India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit in Silicon Valley, California on Monday, September 9... MORE

Joint Statement of the 15th Republic of Korea-United States-Japan Defense Trilateral Talks
September 10, 2024 — Republic of Korea (ROK) Deputy Minister for National Defense Policy Cho Chang-rae, U.S. Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Cara Abercrombie, and Japan Director General for Defense Policy YAMATO Taro convened the 15th Defense Trilateral Talks in Seoul on September 10, 2024... MORE

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh
August 23, 2024 — Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout: Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III welcomed Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh to the Pentagon today. The two officials discussed ongoing efforts to deepen the Major Defense Partnership between the United States and India in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region... MORE

U.S.–U.K. Teams Receive Bilateral Academic Research Award to Investigate Adversary Social Influence and Information Campaigns
August 8, 2024 — The Department of Defense today announced the selection of a team of United States and United Kingdom academic researchers to investigate the growing threat that malign social influence campaigns pose to democracies... MORE

Joint Statement on Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2024
August 6, 2024 — Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles on August 6 in Annapolis, Maryland, to strengthen further the U.S.-Australia Alliance and the two countries' cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region and globally... MORE

Fact Sheet: 2024 Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN)
August 6, 2024 — On August 6, 2024, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and their Australian counterparts, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles and Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, met in Annapolis, Maryland, for the 34th Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN)... MORE

Navy Band South Korea Tour: Strengthening Partnerships through Music
August 4, 2024 — For the first time in its 99 years of service, the U.S. Navy Band performed in South Korea, connecting with the local community and celebrating the long-standing tradition of the wind band. The Navy Band presented five concerts throughout Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do and Seoul between July 13-20... MORE

The U.S. Navy Band performs a concert at the War Memorial of Korea, wrapping up its eight-day tour of South Korea.

Readout of U.S. – ROK Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee Plenary Session
August 1, 2024 — On July 30, 2024, the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense held the 2024 U.S.-ROK Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Committee in Seoul... MORE

US, ROK test unmanned vehicles in live fire exercise during RIMPAC 2024
August 1, 2024 — The U.S. Navy and Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy successfully held a live-fire exercise using a common unmanned surface vessel (CUSV) during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024, July 12. The CUSV, equipped with six Poniard rockets, successfully engaged a target... MORE

Republic of Korea Navy tank landing ship (LST 687) ROKS Cheon Ja Bong sails in formation during the at-sea phase of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024.

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro
July 30, 2024 — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met today with Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro. The two officials discussed the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippine defense ties and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to strengthening the alliance, which has supported peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region for over 70 years... MORE

Joint Statement on the Philippines-United States Fourth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue
July 30, 2024 — Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (referred to collectively as "the Secretaries") convened the fourth Philippines-United States 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Manila on July 30, 2024 — the first to be held in Manila... MORE

U.S. Intends to Reconstitute U.S. Forces Japan as Joint Forces Headquarters
July 28, 2024 — Through a phased approach, the U.S. plans to convert U.S. Forces Japan into a joint force headquarters which will report to the commander of the Indo-Pacific Command, the secretary of defense said today following the conclusion of a two-plus-two ministerial meeting in Tokyo... MORE

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken conduct a press briefing with Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru and Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko after U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting in Tokyo, Japan, July 28, 2024. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)

Japan-United States-Republic of Korea Trilateral Ministerial Joint Press Statement
July 28, 2024 — Japan Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, United States (U.S.) Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik convened a Trilateral Ministerial Meeting on July 28, 2024, in Japan for the first time in history... MORE

Joint Press Release for the ROK-U.S. Defense Ministerial Meeting
July 28, 2024 — Minister of National Defense Shin Wonsik and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met in Tokyo to hold discussions on major issues facing the ROK-U.S. Alliance, including the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region, strengthening Alliance capabilities for deterrence and defense, and opportunities to deepen the Alliance... MORE

Department of Defense Announces Modernization Plan for Tactical Aircraft Based in Japan
July 3, 2024 — The Department of Defense (DoD), in close coordination with the Government of Japan, today announced a plan to upgrade U.S. tactical aircraft laydown across multiple military installations in Japan... MORE

U.S.-India INDUS-X Initiative Marks One-Year Anniversary
June 21, 2024 — On June 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) launched the India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) during Prime Minister Modi's official state visit to Washington, D.C... MORE

Readout of Senior Defense Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs Leader's Trip to Adaptive Shield Exercise, Republic of Korea and Japan
June 18, 2024 — Dr. Brandi Vann, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs visited critical allies and partners in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan from June 5-12, 2024... MORE

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Concludes Tenth Visit to the Indo-Pacific
June 5, 2024 — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III concluded his tenth official visit to the Indo-Pacific region today... MORE

Austin Lauds Strong Ties Between Key Allies in Indo-Pacific
May 3, 2024 — Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the United States' commitment to deepening ties with key allies throughout the Indo-Pacific after meeting with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines. ... MORE

A service member in uniform shakes hands with a civilian man wearing a suit.