In Japanese
- On October 7, 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment, Dr. William LaPlante and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency Commissioner, Mr. Takeshi ISHIKAWA held the 2nd Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition, and Sustainment (DICAS) Forum in Hawaii. During the event they were provided status updates from the DICAS working groups that met in early June and the September 2024 in Tokyo.
- Both leaders welcomed the updates and highlighted how the working group events enabled a deeper understanding of the capability of Japanese defense industry through individual site visits to several Japanese companies and the Industry Day event.
- For the missile co-production working group, both leaders agreed to accelerate and deepen a feasibility study on the co-production of AIM-120 (AMRAAM) in a mutually beneficial manner with the assistance by industries. The feasibility study will consider, including but not limited to, challenges, necessary lead-times, and feasible production activities in Japan. The analysis of opportunities in the co-production of PAC-3 (MSE) will continue as well.
- For the aircraft repair working group, both leaders agree to identify pilot cases (proof of concept) for future consideration by the working group.
- For supply chain resilience working group, the leaders agreed to identify specific areas of cooperation and reiterated the importance of operationalizing the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) as tool to enable supply chain resilience for both the U.S. and Japan.
- For the Ship Repair Working group, the leaders were briefed on the progress toward the next working group to identify opportunities and challenges for US Naval ships to be maintained by Japanese shipyard.
- Both Dr. LaPlante and Commissioner ISHIKAWA were encouraged that all four working groups will meet again before the end of 2024.
Press release of the 2nd DICAS meeting (Oct, 2024) (PDF)