The annual force protection exercise conducted by Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) is designed to enhance the readiness and capability of Navy security forces to respond to internal or external threats onboard installations within Navy Region Hawaii.

"Exercise Citadel Pacific 2026 is a vital component of our ongoing commitment to the safety, security, and readiness of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands,” said Rear Adm. Brad Collins, Navy Region Hawaii commander. “By rigorously evaluating our force protection and anti-terrorism protocols, we ensure that the fleet, our service members, civilian workforce, and their families remain secure.”

Exercise Citadel Pacific is not in response to any specific threat but is a regularly scheduled exercise integral to maintaining the Navy's high level of readiness.

Measures are in place to minimize disruptions within local communities and to ensure normal base operations, but there may be times when the exercise causes increased traffic around bases or delays in base access. Area residents may also see or hear security activities associated with the exercise. Advanced coordination has taken place with local law enforcement and first responders to ensure seamless communication and cooperation, and this exercise will also help strengthen interoperability and partnerships.

For information about potential impacts due to the exercise at JBPHH, please visit
https://www.facebook.com/JBPHH or contact the JBPHH Public Affairs Office at 808-473-2926. For information about potential impacts due to the exercise at PMRF Barking Sands, visit https://www.facebook.com/PacificMissileRangeFacility or contact the PMRF Barking Sands Public Affairs Office at 808-335-4740.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is a strategic U.S. military installation in Oahu, Hawaii, formed by the 2010 merger of the Navy's Pearl Harbor Naval Station and the Air Force's Hickam Air Force Base. It supports Indo-Pacific operations, housing over 270 tenant commands across joint service branches.

The U.S. Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Barking Sands on Kauai is the world’s largest instrumented multi-domain training and test range capable of supporting simultaneous surface, subsurface, air, and space operations. PMRF serves as a critical asset for national security and is committed to community leadership and the responsible stewardship of the island’s environmental and cultural resources.