About
The Honolulu Defense Forum (HDF) is an annual conference hosted by Pacific Forum International, a non-profit, non-partisan foreign policy research institute based in Honolulu, Hawaii. The forum coordinates directly with elements of the Department of War and the interagency, defense and technology industry leaders, and allies and partners to connect urgent military readiness needs with concrete capabilities, delivering specific recommendations to close critical Indo-Pacific defense and security gaps.
HDF leverages Hawaii's strategic location and America's partnerships to restore lethality and strengthen deterrence by improving forward force posture, strengthening alliances, and rebuilding defense industrial capacity. The forum focuses on results-oriented solutions that accelerate joint capability development, enhance combat-credible forces, and ensure
resilience—both to deter threats and secure the Indo-Pacific.
This mission is increasingly urgent as the United States and its allies face mounting operational challenges across the theater.
2026 objectives
HDF 2026 will focus on “Operationalizing Indo-Pacific Readiness.” Building on the momentum of previous forums—which brought together more than 400 U.S. and allied senior government and industry leaders in Honolulu—the 2026 forum aims to accelerate the shift from planning to execution while strengthening bilateral partnerships and advancing robust regional security frameworks.
HDF 2026 will emphasize that today’s security challenges demand integrated solutions, leveraging both economic and military instruments in a coordinated global approach to strategic competition.
The themes of HDF 2026 will center on:
- Widening and Improving Credible Deterrence Now;
- Networked Architecture: From Concepts to Reality;
- Hardening Critical Systems Against Multi-Domain Threats;
- Operational Advantage Through Information, AI, and Data; and
- Partnerships for Innovation and Revitalizing the Defense Industrial Base.
highlights from hdf 2025
Information
Dates
January 2026
Contact
Senior Director, Honolulu Defense Forum
Program Manager
Communications & Outreach Manager
Location
Waikiki, Hawai'i
