The United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), secondarily known as the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), is the unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region.
It is the oldest and largest of the unified combatant commands. Its commander, the senior U.S. military officer in the Pacific, is responsible for more than 375,000 service members, as well as an area that encompasses more than , or roughly 52 percent of the Earth's surface. This area stretches from the waters of the West Coast of the United States to the west coast maritime borderline waters of India, at the meridian 66° longitude line (east of Greenwich), and from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
Founded in 1947 as U.S. Pacific Command, it was renamed U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in 2018 as an acknowledgment of Indo–United States relations. In 2026, the Department of Defense rebranded the command as "United States Pacific Command" ; the legal name remains U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
The command consists of:
A headquarters organization. Five subordinate service component commands (U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Marine Forces Pacific, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Pacific Air Forces, and U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific). Three subordinate unified commands (U.S. Forces Japan, U.S. Forces Korea—which includes Special Operations Command Korea—and Special Operations Command Pacific). Two direct reporting units (U.S. Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center and the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance). Two standing joint task forces (Joint Interagency Task Force West) and Joint Task Force Red Hill.
The command's headquarters is the Nimitz-MacArthur Pacific Command Center on Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii.
Mission In 2016, the command's mission was: United States Pacific Command protects and defends, in concert with other U.S. Government agencies, the territory of the United States, its people, and its interests. With allies and partners, we will enhance stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression, and, when necessary, fighting to win. This approach is based on partnership, presence, and military readiness.
We recognize the global significance of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and understand that challenges are best met together. Consequently, we will remain an engaged and trusted partner committed to preserving the security, stability, and freedom upon which enduring prosperity in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region depends. We will collaborate with the Services and other Combatant Commands to defend America's interests.
Geographic scope
The command's area of responsibility (AOR) encompasses the Pacific Ocean from Antarctica at 92°W, north to 8°N, west to 112°W, northwest to 50°N/142°W, west to 170°E, north to 53°N, northeast to 62°30'N/175°W, north to 64°45'N/175°W, south along the Russian territorial waters to the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, and Japan; the countries of Southeast Asia and the southern Asian landmass to the western border of India; the Indian Ocean east and south of the line from the India coastal border west to 68°E, south along 68°E to Antarctica; Australia; New Zealand; Antarctica, and Hawaii.
In all, it encompasses:USINDOPACOM 36 nations More than half the world's population 3,200 different languages 5 of 7 collective defense treaties
Force structure Component commands Emblem Command Acronym Commander Established Headquarters Subordinate Commands USARPAC General Ronald P. Clark Fort Shafter, Hawaii Eighth Army 2nd Infantry Division 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command I Corps 4th Infantry Division"4th Infantry Division Reassigned to America’s First Corps", DVIDS, by MAJ Evan Cain (I Corps, US Army), dated 5 December 2025, last accessed 8 December 2025 7th Infantry Division / Multi-Domain Command Pacific 11th Airborne Division 25th Infantry Division 593rd Corps Sustainment Command United States Army Japan 94th Army Air & Missile Defense Command 8th Theater Sustainment Command 9th Mission Support Command 18th Medical Command 196th Infantry Brigade 311th Signal Command (Theater) 500th Military Intelligence Brigade MARFORPAC Lieutenant General James F. Glynn Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii I Marine Expeditionary Force III Marine Expeditionary Force Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz Marine Rotational Force – Darwin USPACFLT Admiral Stephen Koehler Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii United States Third Fleet United States Seventh Fleet Naval Air Force Pacific Naval Surface Force Pacific U.S. Naval Forces Japan U.S. Naval Forces Korea Joint Region Marianas Logistics Group Western Pacific Navy Region Hawaii PACAF General Kevin B. Schneider Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii Fifth Air Force Seventh Air Force Eleventh Air Force 613th Air Operations Center SPACEFORINDOPAC Brig Gen Brian Denaro Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii U.S. Space Forces Korea U.S. Space Forces Japan
Subordinate unified commands + Emblem Command Acronym Commander Established Headquarters Subordinate CommandsUnited States Forces Japan USFJ Lieutenant General Stephen F. Jost, USAF Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, Japan United States Army, Japan Fifth Air Force Naval Forces Japan III Marine Expeditionary Force U.S. Space Forces Japan United States Forces Korea USFK General Xavier Brunson, USA Camp Humphreys, Pyeongtaek, South Korea Eighth United States Army Seventh Air Force U.S. Naval Forces Korea U.S. Marine Forces Korea U.S. Space Forces Korea Special Operations Command Korea Special Operations Command Pacific SOCPAC Major General Jeffrey A. VanAntwerp, USA Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
Direct reporting units + Emblem Command Acronym Commander Established Headquarters Subordinate Commands Joint Intelligence Operations Center Pacific JIOC Colonel Matthew G. Rau Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance CFE-DM Joseph D. Martin 1994 Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam, Hawaii
Standing joint task force + Emblem Command Acronym Commander Established Headquarters Subordinate Commands Joint Interagency Task Force West JIATF West Rear Admiral Bob Little, USCG Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
History
Establishment of unified commands in the Pacific The command has evolved through the consolidation of various commands in the Pacific and Far East. Its origins can be traced to the command structure established early in World War II to wage the war in the Pacific.
In April 1942, U.S. military forces in the Pacific Theatre were divided into two commands: the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) under Army General Douglas MacArthur; and the Pacific Ocean Areas (POA) under Navy Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Each had command of all U.S. military forces assigned to his area. The authority of the POA Commander-in-Chief (CINCPOA) was technically separate from that of the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), but Admiral Nimitz was assigned to both positions and bore the title CINCPAC/CINCPOA.
Efforts to establish a unified command for the entire Pacific AOR proved impossible during the war. The divergent interests of the Army and the Navy precluded the subordination of either of the two principal commanders in the Pacific Theatre. When the war ended in September 1945, the command arrangement carried forward with Fleet Admiral Nimitz as CINCPAC/CINCPOA and General of the Army MacArthur as Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Forces Pacific (CINCAFPAC).
Command arrangements after World War II were defined by the "Outline Command Plan"– in a sense, the first Unified Command Plan (UCP)– approved by President Harry S. Truman on 14 December 1946 and authorized by the National Security Act of 1947. The plan called for the establishment of seven unified combatant commands as "an interim measure for the immediate postwar period."
The first three unified commands were established in the Pacific. The Joint Chiefs of Staff implementing directive of 16 December 1946 established the Far East Command (FECOM), Pacific Command (PACOM), and Alaskan Command (ALCOM) effective 1 January 1947. The commands, their areas of responsibility, and their missions were as follows:
Far East Command: U.S. forces in Japan, Korea, the Ryukyus, the Philippines, and the Mariana and Bonin Islands. The Commander-in-Chief, Far East (CINCFE) would carry out occupation duties, maintain the security of the command, plan and prepare for a general emergency in the area, support the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC), and command U.S. forces in China in an emergency. Pacific Command: U.S. forces allocated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff within the Pacific Area. CINCPAC would defend the United States against attack through the Pacific, conduct operations in the Pacific, maintain the security of U.S. island positions and of sea and air communications, support U.S. military commitments in China, plan and prepare for a general emergency, and support CINCFE and Commander-in-Chief, Alaskan Command (CINCAL). Alaskan Command: U.S. forces in Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands. CINCAL would protect Alaska and its sea and air communications, defend the United States from attack through Alaska and the Arctic, plan and prepare for a general emergency, and support CINCFE, CINCPAC, and the Commanding General of the Strategic Air Command (CG SAC).
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was appointed CINCFE; Army Major General Howard A. Craig was assigned as CINCAL. U.S. Navy Admiral John Henry Towers was designated CINCPAC. At the time of appointment, he was serving as Admiral Nimitz's direct successor as CINCPAC/CINCPOA. Admiral Towers retained his position as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet; his title was abbreviated CINCPACFLT to avoid confusion with the newly established Pacific Command. Headquarters for both CINCPAC and CINCPACFLT were located at Makalapa, Pearl Harbor, in the Territory of Hawaiʻi.
USPACOM's original AOR ranged from Burma and the eastern Indian Ocean to the west coast of the Americas. Following a 1949 review of missions and deployments of U.S. forces, the Joint Chiefs of Staff revised the Unified Command Plan on 16 February 1950. The Volcano Islands were transferred to FECOM's AOR; likewise, responsibility for South Korea was transferred from FECOM to PACOM. The duty of protecting the Panama Canal remained assigned to Commander in Chief, Atlantic Command (CINCLANT); one year later, however, the Western approaches to the Canal would be reassigned to CINCPAC.
The Korean War The outbreak of the Korean War and subsequent developments in the Far East tested the U.S. unified command structure in the Pacific. Although General MacArthur, as CINCFE, had been relieved of responsibility for South Korea, early U.S. reaction to North Korea's invasion of the South on 25 June 1950 came through his command. On 10 July, at the request of the United Nations, President Truman directed General MacArthur to establish the United Nations Command (UNC) for the purpose of directing operations against North Korean forces. U.S. forces assigned to FECOM were assigned to UNC with General MacArthur designated Commander-in-Chief, UNC (CINCUNC). The primary responsibility of CINCFE, however, remained the defense of Japan. During the war, CINCPAC was ordered to support CINCUNC/CINCFE.
With CINCFE focused on combat operations during the Korean War, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over strong objection from FECOM, transferred the Mariana, Bonin and Volcano Islands to PACOM. In late 1951, PACOM was also assigned responsibility for the Philippines, the Pescadores, and Formosa (Taiwan).
Reorganization of 1956