Department of Defense Spokesperson Mr. Robert L. Ditchey II provided the following readout:
Hon. Christopher Lowman, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment and Lieutenant General Leo Kosinski, Joint Staff Director for Logistics led a delegation of senior logisticians from each U.S. Military Service headquarters, the Defense Logistics Agency, and USINDOPACOM to the Indo-Pacific region March 10-20, 2024, to assess sustainment opportunities throughout the region that ensure success in a contested logistics environment.
Focusing on opportunities to strengthen ties with allies and partners, increase sustainment capacity, and further build defense industrial base resilience, the delegation met with U.S. military and national government representatives from Australia, Japan, and the Philippines. Hon. Lowman and delegation members stressed the importance of increasing regional capacity for the sustainment of coalition forces in the region, to include establishing a network of regionally aligned maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities in coordination with national and U.S. commercial industry partners.
Hon. Lowman applauded progress each nation is making and reinforced the need for continued partnership to meet the demands of the region, increase interoperability and interchangeability, and further implement a robust integrated deterrence environment.