U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson Speaks on Sustainment and Allied Cooperation at 2026 LANPAC Symposium

U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson delivered the opening keynote at the 2026 Land Forces Pacific Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu on May 12, 2026. U.S. " "Sustainment is not the tail," Brunson said. " Brunson pointed to Korean dry docks that have already overhauled USNS Wally Schirra and Cesar Chavez, with two more ships in the queue for overhaul.

"Korean ship maintenance work is the operational blueprint," he said. " The general’s remarks underscored a shift toward forward-positioned industrial support closer to potential conflict zones rather than relying on transoceanic repairs. Defense spending across Europe surged 14% to $864 billion in 2025, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

7% in 2025 while Taiwan’s climbed 14%. 5% of its GDP. The 2026 Land Forces Pacific Symposium opened days after the conclusion of the 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan.

The exercise lasted 19 days and was joined by Australia, Japan, New Zealand, France and Canada. Those four nations put troops on the ground for the first time as part of Exercise Balikatan. U.S. Navy Adm.

Samuel J. U.S. " Brunson’s address at LANPAC in Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 12, 2026, framed allied industrial cooperation as essential to deterrence. He described South Korea as shifting from a consumer to a producer of security through its maintenance and spending commitments.

The symposium itself took place in Honolulu, Hawaii. U.S. Army Gen. Xavier T. Brunson speaks at LANPAC in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 12, 2026. (Sgt. S.