American leadership rallies its allies and partners and inspires ordinary people around the world to work together toward a brighter future, said Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, who delivered the keynote address today at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.

Autocrats worldwide and terrorist groups want to weaken America’s leadership and its alliances and partnerships, he said.

“Our unmatched network of alliances and partnerships is one of America’s great strategic advantages. Our allies and partners magnify our strength. They project our power. And they deepen our security,” Austin said. 

The secretary pointed to the strength of its alliances and partnerships, noting the 32 member nations of NATO, alliances with Australia, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand, 14 major non-NATO allies and major defense partners. 

The U.S. also has access to agreements with more than 40 countries and logistics agreements with more than 120, he said. “That helps us project power with our partners where we need to, when we need to, and how we need to.” 

As Austin prepares to leave today for a visit to Japan, he said that much progress has been made with friends in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly significant at a time when China has become increasingly aggressive and bullying to its neighbors.

Over the last several years, upgrades to U.S. posture across the Indo-Pacific have been made, fortifying its position from Northeast Asia to Australia and the Pacific Islands. He cited some examples: 

• Modernizing the command-and-control frameworks with Japan; 
• Forging a Defense Cooperation Agreement with Papua New Guinea; 
• Signing landmark defense-industrial-cooperation deals with India; 
• Securing trilateral security cooperation among the United States, Japan and South Korea; 
• Providing Taiwan with the self-defense capabilities; 
• Expanding the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the Philippines to allow U.S. access to four more sites in the Philippines — for a total of nine; 
• Integrating Japan into troop rotations in Darwin, Australia; and 
• Deepening the trilateral AUKUS partnership between the U.S., Australia and United Kingdom. 

Elsewhere in the world, Austin said the U.S., allies and partner nations have come to the defense of Ukraine.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has helped ensure that Ukraine has had what it needs to defend itself — and to forge a future force to deter more Russian aggression, he said. “Together, we have helped Ukraine survive an all-out assault by the largest military in Europe.” 

In the Middle East, the U.S. has worked to support Israel to ensure that Hamas can never again commit atrocities. The U.S. has also pushed hard to protect Palestinian civilians — and to rush humanitarian aid into Gaza, Austin said, adding that the U.S. also sent a strong message of deterrence to Iran and its proxies.  

The Defense Department has also invested in the defense industrial base in order to outpace any rival and ensure an enduring military advantage. 

“We’re growing our production capacity. We’re implementing the first-ever National Defense Industrial Strategy to modernize the defense industrial base. That will make our supply chains more resilient and our acquisitions more flexible,” he said. 

The department has also invested in its people — service members, veterans and their families, he said. 

Base pay for troops is up almost 10% since January 2021 and the 2025 budget proposal seeks another 4.5% pay raise, he said. 

The department has also taken actions to make moves easier, help military spouses pursue their own careers, introduce universal pre-K in Department of Defense Education Activity schools and expand access to affordable child care and high-quality early childhood education, he said. 

The department has also worked hard to end sexual assault and harassment, prevent suicides and increase recruiting and retention, he said. 

“Today’s U.S. military is an extraordinary gathering of volunteers — brave men and women of every race, color and creed. America’s greatest strategic asset has always been the talents of the American people. And we are stronger when we welcome every qualified patriot eager to serve. That’s not just a matter of national principle. It’s a matter of national security,” he said. 

American values matter, he said, pointing out that every service member swears to defend not just the United States but also the Constitution.  

“The baton will soon be passed. Others will decide the course ahead. And I hope that they will build on the strength that we have forged over the last four years,” he said.