Asia-Pacific nations meet to discuss peace operations

  • Published
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii --  U.S. military personnel will join representatives from other nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region in Singapore July 21-24 to discuss the use of air forces in support of peace operations.

The talks are part of the 2010 Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium, co-hosted this year by the Republic of Singapore and the U.S. Air Force. The symposium encourages relationship building and enhances cooperation among the air forces of Pacific nations.

This year's symposium theme, "The Role of Airpower in Peace Support Operations," aims to help participants better understand how Air Forces can support peace-keeping missions in the region.

Underscoring the significance of the symposium, Brig. Gen. Kwek Kok Kwong, Commander of the Air Defence Operations and Command from the Republic of the Singapore Air Force and co-host of the event, said, "The RSAF participates in a wide spectrum of peace support and humanitarian operations around the world. This symposium is an excellent forum for the RSAF to share the HADR lessons, the peace support operations in Afghanistan, as we prepare for our first UAV deployment in Afghanistan."

Additionally, the Senior Enlisted Leadership Conference, the largest Air Force multi-national enlisted conference, will be held in conjunction with the PACRIM Airpower Symposium. The conference was first held in 2008 and is designed to enhance the professionalism of the different air force enlisted corps in the region.

Lt. Gen. Hawk Carlisle, 13th Air Force commander, will lead the U.S. delegation at Singapore. Thirteenth Air Force at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, leads the U.S. planning and execution of the PACRIM Airpower Symposium and Senior Enlisted Leadership Conference.

"The U.S. Air Force looks forward to these events every year, and our 2010 editions are no exception," General Carlisle said. "We thank the government of Singapore for inviting us to their country as co-host, and all the participants for joining is in a spirit of partnership."

Delegations from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United States and Vietnam have been invited to participate.