TechNet Asia-Pacific 2009

Budgetary pressure may force the military to change the way it procures communications and information systems. The result may be the elimination of duplicative systems and interoperability problems.

The adage of "train the way you fight" isn't working for Marines using communications and networking systems. The result is that personnel have to learn how to use vital command, control and communications (C3) gear in the field, which hinders their effectiveness in a combat zone.

The top priority for the U.S. Pacific Fleet is not merely command and control, it is command and control of command and control (C2C2). That is the assessment delivered by Rear Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, USN, deputy commander and chief of staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The U.S. Marine Corps is ramping up to conduct operations in cyberspace as part of its everyday capabilities. Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs) will operate in cyberspace as they do on land, sea and air.

Technological solutions can bridge differences between the U.S. forces and other nations as the U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) builds relationships among its diverse partners. The Marine Corps in particular are seeking translation technologies to break down language barriers in daily activities.

The information technology arena is experiencing large tectonic shifts that are directly affecting requirements for cybersecurity. Transitions-from physical to virtual; from the premise to the cloud; from more formal networks to social networks-will have their counterparts in new security requirements and approaches.

Government needs to "think flat' and create a cybersecurity architecture that emphasizes a peering structure rather than a vertical architecture.

The rise of China and the growth of other Asian economies could hold serious consequences for the U.S. economy, and subsequently relations with other countries. One day, major world economies no longer will use the dollar as the basis for international transactions. And when the U.S. dollar no longer is the global currency of choice, the United States will have to enter a period of severe frugality.

China and the United States are constantly redefining their relationship in a dynamic that could lead to conflict if both sides are not careful, according to a leading U.S. Asia-Pacific expert.

The U.S. Army, Pacific, is pushing technological limits to link its diverse elements. While it has had some successes, it still needs some breakthrough technologies to achieve its goals over the vast region, according to Brig. Gen. Alan R. Lynn, USA, commander, 311th Signal Command.