United States Indo-Pacific Command
United States Indo-Pacific Command | |
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Founded | 1 January 1947 (77 years, 3 months ago)[1] |
Country | United States |
Type | Unified combatant command |
Role | Geographic combatant command |
Size | 375,000 personnel[2] |
Part of | United States Department of Defense |
Headquarters | Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, U.S. |
Engagements | |
Decorations | |
Senior Enlisted Leader | Fleet Master Chief David L. Isom, USN[5] |
United States Armed Forces |
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Executive departments |
Staff |
Military departments |
Military services |
Command structure |
The United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM)[6][7] is the unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region.
It is the oldest and largest of the unified combatant commands. Its commander, the senior U.S. military officer in the Pacific, is responsible for more than 375,000 service members as well as an area that encompasses more than 100 million square miles (260,000,000 km2), or roughly 52 percent of the Earth's surface, stretching from the waters of the West Coast of the United States to the east coast maritime borderline waters of India at the meridian 66° longitude east of Greenwich and from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, the command was renamed to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in 2018, in recognition of the increasing connectivity between the Indian and Pacific oceans.[6]
The Indo-Pacific Command consists of the component commands U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces; the subordinate combatant commands U.S. Forces Japan, U.S. Forces Korea (including Special Operations Command Korea) and the Special Operations Command Pacific; the two direct reporting units U.S. Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center and the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance; the standing joint task forces Joint Interagency Task Force West and Joint Task Force Red Hill. The Nimitz-MacArthur Pacific Command Center serves as the headquarters for the Indo-Pacific Command and is located on Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii.
Mission
United States Indo-Pacific Command protects and defends, in concert with other U.S. Government agencies, the territory of the United States, its people, and its interests. With allies and partners, we will enhance stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, fighting to win. This approach is based on partnership, presence, and military readiness. We recognize the global significance of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and understand that challenges are best met together. Consequently, we will remain an engaged and trusted partner committed to preserving the security, stability, and freedom upon which enduring prosperity in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region depends. We will collaborate with the Services and other Combatant Commands to defend America's interests.[8]
Geographic scope
USINDOPACOM's
In all, it encompasses:[citation needed]
- 36 nations
- More than half the world's population
- 3,200 different languages
- 5 of 7 collective defense treaties
Force structure
Component commands
Emblem | Command | Acronym | Commander | Established | Headquarters | Subordinate Commands |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint Force Land Component Command |
USARPAC | General Charles A. Flynn | 1 October 2000 | Fort Shafter, Hawaii |
| |
United States Marine Corps Forces Pacific |
MARFORPAC | Lieutenant General William Jurney | 27 July 1992 | Camp H.M. Smith , Hawaii |
||
Joint Force Maritime Component Command |
USPACFLT | Admiral Stephen Koehler | 22 July 1907 | Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii | ||
Joint Force Air Component Command |
PACAF | General Kevin B. Schneider |
3 August 1944 | Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii | ||
Joint Force Space Component Command |
SPACEFORINDOPAC | Brigadier General Anthony Mastalir | 22 November 2022 | Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii |
|
Subordinate unified commands
Emblem | Command | Acronym | Commander | Established | Headquarters | Subordinate Commands |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States Forces Japan | USFJ | 1 July 1957 | Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan | |||
United States Forces Korea | USFK | Paul J. LaCamera, USA |
1 July 1957 | Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, South Korea |
| |
Special Operations Command Pacific | SOCPAC | Rear Admiral Jeromy B. Williams, USN | 1 November 1965 | Camp H.M. Smith , Hawaii |
Direct reporting units
Emblem | Command | Acronym | Commander | Established | Headquarters | Subordinate Commands |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint Intelligence Operations Center Pacific | JIOC | Colonel Matthew G. Rau | 1 January 1983 | Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii | ||
Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance | CFE-DM | Joseph D. Martin | 1994 | Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii |
Standing joint task force
Emblem | Command | Acronym | Commander | Established | Headquarters | Subordinate Commands |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joint Interagency Task Force West | JIATF West | Rear Admiral Robert P. Hayes, USCG |
10 February 1989 | Camp H.M. Smith , Hawaii |
||
Joint Task Force Red Hill | JTF-RH | Vice Admiral John F.G. Wade, USN | 30 September 2022 | Red Hill Underground Fuel Storage Facility, Hawaii |
Ballistic missile warning for the United States outside of NORAD: Hawaii, Guam, & the Pacific region
This article needs to be updated.(October 2022) |
In the Pacific Region, instead of
The
History
Establishment of unified commands in the Pacific
USINDOPACOM has evolved through the gradual consolidation of various commands in the Pacific and Far East. Its origins can be traced to the command structure established early in World War II to wage the war in the Pacific.[13]
In April 1942, U.S. military forces in the
Efforts to establish a unified command for the entire Pacific AOR proved impossible during the war. The divergent interests of the Army and the Navy precluded the subordination of either of the two principal commanders in the Pacific Theatre. When the war ended in September 1945, the command arrangement carried forward with Fleet Admiral Nimitz as CINCPAC/CINCPOA and General of the Army MacArthur as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Forces Pacific (CINCAFPAC).
Command arrangements after World War II were defined by the "Outline Command Plan" – in a sense, the first Unified Command Plan (UCP) – approved by President Harry S. Truman on 14 December 1946 and authorized by the National Security Act of 1947. The plan called for the establishment of seven
The first three unified commands were established in the Pacific. The Joint Chiefs of Staff implementing directive of 16 December 1946 established the Far East Command (FECOM), Pacific Command (PACOM), and Alaskan Command (ALCOM) effective 1 January 1947. The commands, their areas of responsibility, and their missions were as follows:
- Far East Command: U.S. forces in Ryukyus, the Philippines, and the Mariana and Bonin Islands. The Commander-in-Chief, Far East (CINCFE) would carry out occupation duties, maintain the security of the command, plan and prepare for a general emergency in the area, support the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC), and command U.S. forces in Chinain an emergency.
- Pacific Command: U.S. forces allocated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff within the Pacific Area. CINCPAC would defend the United States against attack through the Pacific, conduct operations in the Pacific, maintain the security of U.S. island positions and of sea and air communications, support U.S. military commitments in China, plan and prepare for a general emergency, and support CINCFE and Commander-in-Chief, Alaskan Command (CINCAL).
- Alaskan Command: U.S. forces in Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands. CINCAL would protect Alaska and its sea and air communications, defend the United States from attack through Alaska and the Arctic, plan and prepare for a general emergency, and support CINCFE, CINCPAC, and the Commanding General of the Strategic Air Command (CG SAC).
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was appointed CINCFE; Army Major General
Then-PACOM's original AOR ranged from
The Korean War
The outbreak of the
With CINCFE focused on combat operations during the Korean War, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over strong objection from FECOM, transferred the Mariana, Bonin and Volcano Islands to PACOM. In late 1951, PACOM was also assigned responsibility for the Philippines, the
Reorganization of 1956
The new Unified Command Plan approved by Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson on 21 June 1956 produced significant changes to the command structure in the Pacific. ALCOM would remain as a unified command because of its strategic location, retaining its mission for the ground defense of the Alaskan region. Its other responsibilities, however, were reduced: the duty for the protection of sea communications in Alaskan waters was assumed by PACOM. The responsibilities of the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) would be likewise expanded to include the air defense of Alaska and the Northeast.
UCP 1956 also disestablished FECOM as a separate unified command. U.S. military deployments to Japan and Korea were decreasing after the end of Japanese reconstruction and the Korean War. The JCS, therefore, believed that the divided command structure in the Pacific should be abolished and FECOM's responsibility reassigned to PACOM. A subsequent outline plan to disestablish FECOM and transfer its responsibilities was approved by SECDEF and the JCS effective 1 July 1957. Under the plan, two subordinate unified commands under CINCPAC were established: Commander,
The UCP further specified that no unified commander would exercise direct command of any of its Service components or subordinate commands. As such,
The Vietnam War
Command over U.S. forces engaged in the
Command adjustments, 1971–1979
A new Unified Command Plan was approved in 1971. Effective 1 January 1972, the Pacific Command assumed responsibility for the Indian Ocean and the countries of southern Asia extending westward to the eastern border of Iran (which then fell under
U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) was disestablished 31 December 1974 as part of a bid by the Army to reduce its headquarters. The much smaller U.S. Army CINCPAC Support Group (CSG) took over USARPAC's duty to assist and coordinate with CINCPAC Headquarters and PACOM service components on Army matters. In 1979, U.S. Army Western Command (WESTCOM) was activated as the new Army component for PACOM. WESTCOM was redesignated USARPAC effective 30 August 1990.
Unified Command Plan of 1983
UCP 1983 dramatically increased the size of PACOM's AOR. While the establishment of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) for the Middle East on 1 January 1983 meant PACOM delegated responsibility for Afghanistan and Pakistan to the new command, it took on responsibility for China, North Korea and Magadascar as military officials reasoned that issues arising from those countries could be best handled at the unified command level.
At the request of then-CINCPAC Admiral William Crowe, his title and that of his command were changed to USCINCPAC and USPACOM, respectively.
Boundary adjustment and Alaskan Command, 1989
On 26 June 1989, Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney endorsed the recommendation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to reassign the Gulfs of Aden and Oman from USPACOM to USCENTCOM's AOR. Though a modest shift, the change meant that the new boundary between the commands would no longer cut through the Strait of Hormuz. On 1 October 1989, the defense of Alaska and all units stationed there passed to USPACOM, which subsequently raised Alaskan Command (ALCOM) as a subordinate command.[15]
Transfers of responsibility, 2002–2006
Under UCP 2002, effective 21 January, Secretary of Defense
On 24 October 2002, the Secretary issued a memorandum declaring that the title "Commander in Chief" should only refer to the President of the United States. Effective that date, all combatant commanders deleted "in Chief" from their titles. USCINCPAC was redesignated Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (CDRUSPACOM).
Transfer of Alaskan Command, 2014
In a move to streamline command and control of forces in Alaska and integrate forces in defense of North America, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel approved the transfer of ALCOM to USNORTHCOM on 1 October 2014.
Renaming of Pacific Command, 2018
On 30 May 2018, at the change-of-command ceremony between Admirals Harry B. Harris Jr. and Philip S. Davidson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced that Pacific Command has been renamed Indo-Pacific Command "in recognition of the increasing connectivity of the Indian and Pacific Oceans."[16] U.S. officials stated that the change was instituted to "better reflect the command's areas of responsibility, which includes 36 nations as well as both the Pacific and Indian Oceans."[16][17]
List of Commanders
While any qualified officer in the U.S. Armed Forces can be appointed as commander of INDOPACOM, only a Navy officer has ever held this office.
No. | Commander | Term | Service branch | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
1 | 1 January 1947 | 28 February 1947 | 58 days | U.S. Navy | ||
2 | Louis E. Denfeld (1891–1972) | Admiral28 February 1947 | 3 December 1947 | 278 days | U.S. Navy | |
3 | 12 January 1948 | 30 April 1949 | 1 year, 108 days | U.S. Navy | ||
4 | Arthur W. Radford (1896–1973) | Admiral30 April 1949 | 10 July 1953 | 4 years, 71 days | U.S. Navy | |
5 | Felix B. Stump (1894–1972) | Admiral10 July 1953 | 31 July 1958 | 5 years, 21 days | U.S. Navy | |
6 | Harry D. Felt (1902–1992) | Admiral31 July 1958 | 30 June 1964 | 5 years, 335 days | U.S. Navy | |
7 | 30 June 1964 | 31 July 1968 | 4 years, 31 days | U.S. Navy | ||
8 | John S. McCain Jr. (1911–1981) | Admiral31 July 1968 | 1 September 1972 | 4 years, 32 days | U.S. Navy | |
9 | Noel A.M. Gayler (1914–2011) | Admiral1 September 1972 | 30 August 1976 | 3 years, 364 days | U.S. Navy | |
10 | Maurice F. Weisner (1917–2006) | Admiral30 August 1976 | 31 October 1979 | 3 years, 62 days | U.S. Navy | |
11 | Robert L.J. Long (1920–2002) | Admiral31 October 1979 | 1 July 1983 | 3 years, 243 days | U.S. Navy | |
12 | William J. Crowe Jr. (1925–2007) | Admiral1 July 1983 | 18 September 1985 | 2 years, 79 days | U.S. Navy | |
13 | Ronald J. Hays (1928–2021) | Admiral18 September 1985 | 30 September 1988 | 3 years, 12 days | U.S. Navy | |
14 | Huntington Hardisty (1929–2003) | Admiral30 September 1988 | 1 March 1991 | 2 years, 152 days | U.S. Navy | |
15 | Charles R. Larson (1936–2014) | Admiral1 March 1991 | 11 July 1994 | 2 years, 152 days | U.S. Navy | |
16 | Richard C. Macke (born 1938) | Admiral19 July 1994 | 31 January 1996 | 1 year, 196 days | U.S. Navy | |
17 | Joseph W. Prueher (born 1942) | Admiral31 January 1996 | 20 February 1999 | 3 years, 20 days | U.S. Navy | |
18 | Dennis C. Blair (born 1947) | Admiral20 February 1999 | 2 May 2002 | 3 years, 71 days | U.S. Navy | |
19 | Thomas B. Fargo (born 1948) | Admiral2 May 2002 | 26 February 2005 | 2 years, 300 days | U.S. Navy | |
20 | William J. Fallon (born 1944) | Admiral26 February 2005 | 12 March 2007 | 2 years, 14 days | U.S. Navy | |
- | Lieutenant General Daniel P. Leaf (born 1952) Acting | 12 March 2007 | 26 March 2007 | 14 days | U.S. Air Force | |
21 | Timothy J. Keating (born 1948) | Admiral26 March 2007 | 19 October 2009 | 2 years, 207 days | U.S. Navy | |
22 | Robert F. Willard (born 1950) | Admiral19 October 2009 | 9 March 2012 | 2 years, 142 days | U.S. Navy | |
23 | Samuel J. Locklear III (born 1954) | Admiral9 March 2012 | 27 May 2015 | 3 years, 79 days | U.S. Navy | |
24 | Harry B. Harris Jr. (born 1956) | Admiral27 May 2015 | 30 May 2018 | 3 years, 3 days | U.S. Navy | |
25 | Philip S. Davidson (born 1960) | Admiral30 May 2018 | 30 April 2021 | 2 years, 335 days | U.S. Navy | |
26 | John C. Aquilino (born 1962) | Admiral30 April 2021 | Incumbent | 2 years, 354 days | U.S. Navy |
References
- ^ a b "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command > About USINDOPACOM > History". www.pacom.mil. U. S. Indo-Pacific Command. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "About United States Indo-Pacific Command". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Admiral John C. Aquilino, U.S. Navy". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Stephen D. Sklenka, USMC". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Fleet Master Chief David Isom, U.S. Navy". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ a b "U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Holds Change of Command Ceremony". U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Public Affairs Communication & Outreach. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ Watkins, Thomas (30 May 2018). "In nod to India, US military renames its Pacific Command". AFP. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ CDRUSPACOM. "U.S. Pacific Command Guidance" (PDF). USPACOM Official Website. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ "U.S. Forces, Japan > Leadership". www.usfj.mil. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- ^ "Federal responsibility in nuclear attack alerts is unclear". Star-Advertiser. Honolulu. Associated Press. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ Wu, Nina (17 January 2018). "State education department addresses missile scare". Star-Advertiser. Honolulu. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ "NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020". www.govinfo.gov.
- ^ CDRUSPACOM. "History of United States Pacific Command". USPACOM Official Website. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
- ^ a b Edward J. Drea; Ronald H. Cole; Walter S. Poole; James F. Schnabel; Robert J. Watson; Willard J. Webb. (March 2013). History of the Unified Command Plan: 1946–2012 (PDF). Washington, DC: United States. Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint History Office. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
- ^ "Department of the Army Historical Summary". Department of the Army. 1989. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ a b Ryan, Browne (30 May 2018). "US rebrands Pacific command amid tensions with China". CNN. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ Ali, Idrees (30 May 2018). "In symbolic nod to India, U.S. Pacific Command changes name". Reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
The U.S. military on Wednesday renamed its Pacific Command the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, in a largely symbolic move underscoring the growing importance of India to the Pentagon, U.S. officials said.