HONOLULU DEFENSE FORUM 2026

Honolulu, June 2, 2025 — Pacific Forum has officially announced that the next edition of the Honolulu Defense Forum (HDF) will take place on January 11–13, 2026 in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. The event, convening global defense leaders, policymakers, and private sector experts, will focus on accelerating security and innovation solutions amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

Now in its third year, the HDF has quickly become a cornerstone gathering in the regional defense calendar. The 2026 edition will convene over 400 senior stakeholders from the U.S. Department of Defense, Indo-Pacific Command, regional military and government delegations, technology innovators, and economic security experts. The event’s theme — “Operationalizing Solutions: Integrating Capabilities to Prevail” — reflects a focus on translating strategy into joint action.

“Given the narrowing window to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific, we must move faster from ideas to execution,” said Kimberly Lehn, Senior Director of the Honolulu Defense Forum. “As Adm. Sam Paparo stressed at HDF 2025, the barriers between government and industry must come down. HDF is about building the trust and shared vision to make that happen.”

HDF 2026 will include high-level keynotes, senior leader roundtables, and expert panels on topics such as asymmetric capabilities, resilient supply chains, networked deterrence architectures, responsible AI deployment, and transregional tech cooperation. The Forum aims to support integrated deterrence by building relationships across sectors and allies, particularly as regional threats intensify.

For more information or to express interest in attending HDF 2026, visit:
​👉 https://pacforum.swoogo.com/HDF26

​To inquire about corporate sponsorship or speaker opportunities, please contact Kimberly Lehn at kim@pacforum.org.

About Pacific Forum
​Founded in 1975 and based in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, Pacific Forum is a private, non-profit, non-partisan foreign policy research institute dedicated to promoting peace, security, and strategic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The organization conducts research, hosts dialogues, and fosters next-generation leadership through fellowships and strategic convenings. Pacific Forum engages over 200 experts annually and maintains partnerships with governments, academic institutions, and industry leaders around the world.

Press Contact:
​Shanna Khayat
​Director of Communications & Outreach
​Email: shanna.khayat@pacforum.org
​Phone: +1 (808) 852-2595

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