Global partners meet in Guam for a multilateral SHORAD symposium

Representatives from 11 allied and partner nations joined U.S. military and civilian organizations in Tumon, Guam, for the second annual Multilateral Short-Range Air Defense Symposium from August 3-6, 2026, focusing on the growing threat posed by Small Unmanned Aerial Systems and the need for integrated defenses across the Pacific and NATO.

Hosted by the Pacific Integrated Air & Missile Defense Center, the gathering examined how s-UAS used for surveillance, reconnaissance, and direct attacks are reshaping security requirements and called for a new defense paradigm. Participants analyzed gaps in capabilities and responsibilities and identified collaborative, actionable steps to mitigate the emerging threat. “We can defend anything, but we can NOT defend everything,” Col. Matthew Belote, Pacific Integrated Air & Missile Defense Center Director, stressed during his opening comments.

A priority was building a collaborative environment for networking, trust, and information sharing among military air defense professionals, civilian airspace authorities, and local law enforcement. The agenda moved beyond theory, featuring detailed discussions and a fictional tabletop scenario centered on counter-s-UAS operations. Key topics included synchronizing diverse systems to counter saturation and swarm attacks, preventing blue-on-blue engagements, improving integration between military and civilian agencies, and ensuring complex systems work together under pressure.

“This symposium MUST focus on joint and combined processes that work, and it is imperative that these plans are developed, trained on and refined in order to allow for efficient execution,” Col. Belote continued. A critical challenge addressed was identifying hostile intent when adversaries blend drone operations with civilian activity and employ cyber intrusions. Through simulated scenarios, attendees worked through split-second decision-making in ambiguous environments to refine protocols for distinguishing threats in crowded airspace.

The symposium drew a broad coalition of partners, with 11 allied and partner nations in attendance, including Canada, France, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

U.S. participation included the Pacific Integrated Air & Missile Defense Center; National Security Agency Tailored Solutions’ Mission Threat Validation Team; Counter Small UAS University; Joint Task Force-Micronesia; U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam; Headquarters Air Combat Command; Pacific Air Forces Security Forces Requirements Branch; Marine Forces Pacific Headquarters; Andersen Air Force Base’s 36th Security Forces Squadron and 36th Operational Support Squadron; United States Army Pacific Theater Fires Element; U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command; Guam National Guard; and the Federal Aviation Administration (virtual).

Organizers emphasized that strengthening military-civilian integration and deepening multinational partnerships are intended to enable faster, better-coordinated responses to aerial threats across domains, reinforcing a more resilient defense network for the Pacific region.