18th Asia Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)

Summary of APPSMO 2016

The 18^th Asia Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO) organised by the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS) at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), was held at Village Hotel Changi in Singapore from 4 to 10 August 2016. Since its inception in 1999, APPSMO has provided a unique and important forum for military officers and defence analysts to network and exchange views on a broad range of subjects related to regional and international security. APPSMO 2016 continued to facilitate defence diplomacy with the attendance of 53 military officers and defence planners from 24 countries representing Asia, Oceania, North America and Europe.

During the week-long programme, the participants attended a series of seminars and discussions that featured experts from both the academic and policy communities. The theme for APPSMO 2016 was “Hybrid Warfare and the Role of the Military: Challenges and Implications”. Some of the key topics discussed included the dimensions of war and strategy, hybrid threats and the future of warfare, information and cyber warfare, warfare and civilisation, power transition in the Asia Pacific, civil-military relations, and the whole-of-government approach towards security.

The participants visited the Regional HADR Coordination Centre (RHCC) at the Changi Naval Base, as well as the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA). They were also brought on a heritage tour of Changi, visited the Battlebox, and given a tour of Changi Airport’s operations. The participants and speakers attended the National Day Parade on 9 August 2016. APPSMO 2016 has played an important role as an additional conduit of defence diplomacy by facilitating interaction among senior military officers in and beyond the Asia Pacific. It has provided an opportunity for participants to foster a better understanding of each other, as well as their respective countries.