The Pentagon announced on Friday (March 20) that the U.S.-led Defense Manufacturing Partnership Alliance has agreed to launch a new missile engine production project with Japan, advancing unmanned drone cooperation in Asia and exploring building a new ammunition production line in the Philippines. Additionally, other military projects are set to be developed in South Korea and Australia.
The Pacific-Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience Partnership (PIPIR) is an alliance composed of multiple countries, dedicated to enhancing weapons and defense manufacturing capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. Established by the United States in May 2024, the alliance aims to reduce supply chain risks and assist member countries in producing and maintaining military equipment closer to the required locations.
The Pentagon stated that the national defense ministers and senior government officials of the PIPIR member countries held the second annual general meeting online on March 18, 2026, reaffirming their commitment to accelerating defense industry cooperation.
On Friday, the Pentagon issued a joint statement welcoming two new members, Thailand and the United Kingdom, bringing the total number of members to 16, covering countries in the Indo-Pacific region and Europe. The 16 countries are the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
The statement highlighted that the alliance discussed significant progress made since the establishment of PIPIR and reviewed two important initiatives announced by the U.S. Secretary of Defense at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025, including establishing front-line maintenance capabilities for the P-8 radar system in Australia and developing standards for small unmanned drone systems in the Indo-Pacific region.
The alliance has agreed to establish a new solid rocket engine production project, with Japan taking the lead, as solid rocket engines serve as propulsion systems for many guided weapons. This initiative is seen as a way to enhance the production capacity of critical weapon components outside the United States.
The alliance also pledged to explore the feasibility and opportunities of establishing a front-line deployed F100/F110 engine maintenance center in Japan, which will provide regional support for the F-15 and F-16 fighter jet platforms used by the U.S. Air Force and partner countries.
Regarding drones, member countries agreed to take a series of measures to develop common standards and share supply chains for small military drones in the region, including researching batteries and small motors to power them. The organization also agreed to explore collaborative research and development of unmanned drones for various military purposes.
In terms of ammunition, member countries indicated that they would consider establishing a new facility in the Philippines for loading, assembly, and packaging of 30mm cannon rounds, widely used in military aircraft and ground vehicles.
The alliance will also expand the scope of the Regional Support Center in Australia to support more P-8 anti-submarine surveillance aircraft users in the Indo-Pacific region. This project was announced at the Shangri-La Dialogue in May 2025. Additionally, plans to establish a CH-47 “Chinook” helicopter T-55 engine maintenance center in South Korea are progressing, announced at the U.S.-ROK Logistics Cooperation Committee meeting in July 2025.