US Pacific Command is responsible for defending US interests in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The region's security environment continues to grow increasingly complex and volatile. The three greatest security challenges in the region are North Korea's growing nuclear and ballistic capabilities, Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, and violent extremist organizations in the Philippines. The United States cannot eliminate these threats unilaterally. USPACOM must work with other US government agencies, allies, and partners to confront these challenges. Multinational operations are key to maintaining peace and stability in the region. This monograph seeks to determine how USPACOM can improve its capability to conduct multinational operations in the future. To answer this question, this monograph uses three case studies to examine the recent history of multinational operations in the area of responsibility. An analysis of real-world operations highlights the operational successes and operational challenges inherent in conducting combined operations in a foreign country with ally and partner nations. The information can help minimize the risk of casualties, reduce the expenditure of resources, and/or decrease the risk of mission failure during future multinational operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)