ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink concluded a multi-nation visit to the Indo-Pacific region, where he met with senior defense officials, observed multinational training and visited with Airmen and Guardians supporting Department-Level Exercise 2025.
The trip included stops in Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, Japan and Alaska reinforcing the Department of the Air Force’s commitment to strengthening regional partnerships and operating alongside allies and partners to maintain peace and stability.
“The Department of the Air Force remains committed to maintaining readiness alongside our allies and partners in the region to uphold stability in the Indo-Pacific,” Meink said. “This visit reaffirmed the vital role our Airmen, Guardians and international partners play in executing integrated operations and maintaining credible deterrence against our adversaries.”
During the visit, Meink observed operations in support of Department-Level Exercise 2025, a first-in-a-generation training series designed to demonstrate the ability to conduct distributed operations at speed and scale. The exercise involved more than 400 aircraft and 12,000 participants across 50 locations in the Indo-Pacific.
“DLE 2025 showcases how we can integrate and operate as a coalition across all domains,” Meink said. “The ability of our forces to deploy, sustain and operate in contested environments alongside partners is key to our shared security.”
In bilateral engagements with defense leaders in the Philippines and Japan, Meink emphasized the importance of deepening defense ties and advancing multilateral coordination across the Indo-Pacific. Discussions included enhancing joint interoperability, regional deterrence and shared efforts to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
“We’re building a force ready for tomorrow’s challenges—one that’s forward-postured, connected with allies and able to respond decisively,” Meink said.
Throughout the trip, Meink met with Airmen and Guardians stationed and deployed across the region, thanking them for their service and reinforcing the Department’s focus on warfighting readiness and integrated operations.
“Our people are the foundation of our strength,” Meink said. “It was an honor to speak with the Airmen and Guardians driving the mission forward across the region.”