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Japanese partners use Maven on Pacific mission network, Breaking Defense reports
Japanese partners are using the AI-enabled planning and targeting platform to contribute to joint strikes, a US Indo-Pacific Command official said, Breaking Defense reported.
A US Indo-Pacific Command official cited Japanese partners’ first use of the Maven Smart System as an example of partners using shared warfighting applications, Breaking Defense reported.1
Japanese partners used the Maven Smart System
PACOM Mission Network
an artificial intelligence-enabled platform used for planning and targeting, which is embedded into the mission network
Breaking Defense describes the PACOM Mission Network, as officials called it, as a system that lets US forces and partners share data and mission planning tools securely across classification to jointly conduct operations or prosecute targets
Reported by Breaking Defense, October 30, 2026
Sources
Maven is embedded in the PACOM Mission Network, which lets US forces and partners share data and mission planning tools securely across classification to jointly conduct operations or prosecute targets, the outlet reported.1
Brig. Gen. Michael Smith, the command’s director for command, control, communications, computers and cyber, described the Japanese use at the TechNet Indo-Pacific Conference on Oct. 29. Japanese users are contributing to joint strikes through Maven, he said. Breaking Defense did not report whether the Japanese use came during exercises or operations.1
Lt. Gen. George Rowell, the command’s deputy commander, said the mission network was used in several exercises over the past year, without specifying how many.1
Smith described 2026 as the first year all the command’s capabilities were in a multilateral environment where partners used warfighting applications and tools with US forces and shared a common operational picture, Breaking Defense reported. That shared environment still coexists with some legacy bilateral systems and networks, he said.1
Sources (1)
- Breaking Defense, “Bilateral no more: PACOM officials highlight multi-national data sharing network,” Oct. 30, 2026 breakingdefense.com