This week, the U.S. Army hosts a number of public events to mark its 250th anniversary.
At LANPAC 2025 last month, military top brass from 32 countries gathered in Waikīkī to talk about land power. That got us wondering about the changes on the battlefield over 250 years.
The Conversation provides a snapshot from LANPAC 2025, starting with a vendor that displayed thermal-sensing and night vision products.
"Thermal imaging, you can now use during the day or the night, you can record — it's essentially digital, smart technology that has come a long way," the vendor told to HPR. "It's an education to our end-users, our government, even the commercial side."
The company Cocoon uses technology to stall corrosion and protect big-ticket assets, from planes to 3D printers in use now at Wheeler Air Force Base, Kāneʻohe Marine Base, and the Hawaiian Airlines hangar at the Honolulu airport.
"It's mastering the elements, right, you got to figure out how to handle what Mother Nature is throwing at you. So in the protective cover fabric, those are waterproof and air permeable, so that you're not pulling condensation and creating a greenhouse under the cover. ... It pretty much won't rust, mold or mildew, and you're preserving its life," said a spokesperson for Cocoon.
At LANPAC 2025, a historian hailed the Battle of Luzon in the Philippines as pivotal in the war against the Japanese in World War II.
In the keynote session, Commanding General of the Philippine Army Roy Galido described a David vs. Goliath scenario with the threats of the People's Republic of China pushing in at its borders.
“Modern land warfare instead emphasizes the ability to maneuver in complex environment, seize and dominate key terrains, and turn geography into a force multiplier,” Galido said.
“Essentially, it is shaped by elements which are often overlooked in great power calculations — intelligent use of force, adaptability and positional advantage that any small state can muster to assert its place in a modern battlefield.”
Galido shared more of his perspective on the realities of small states amid changing warfare.
“Factoring one's unique competitive advantage, small states should clearly choose how to intend to fight and strive to be really good at it. This means channeling time, energy and resources to areas that matter most," he said.
"Focus will allow even modestly equipped armies to generate outsized effects through training, discipline, leadership and conceptual clarity. Without this clarity, small states will be doomed to wars they cannot fight or adopt technology they cannot sustain.”
To learn more about Heritage Week events, click here.
This story aired on The Conversation on June 9, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Hannah Kaʻiulani Coburn adapted this story for the web.
