General Kevin Schneider, the commander of United States Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday to begin a three-day visit aimed at deepening the bilateral defence partnership, the US Embassy in Colombo said.
PACAF oversees all US Air Force personnel and assets across the Indo-Pacific theatre. During his visit from June 21 to 24, General Schneider is scheduled to meet senior Sri Lankan government and defence leaders, including the leadership of the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Discussions will focus on expanded cooperation across air and maritime domain awareness, cybersecurity, disaster response and regional security, according to the embassy.
“General Schneider’s visit is the latest milestone in an expanding bilateral relationship built on joint exercises, military exchanges, and consistent senior-level dialogue,” the embassy said in a statement reported by Ada Derana and Newswire. “The United States recognises Sri Lanka as an essential partner in the collective effort to preserve peace, security, and prosperity across the region.”
The visit by the senior US Air Force commander for the Indo-Pacific is distinct from a recent stop by a US Navy littoral combat ship and the Pacific Fleet commander’s outreach to the Sri Lanka Navy, and represents the second high-level US military engagement with Colombo in a matter of weeks.
The trip lands as Washington continues to broaden defence and maritime cooperation across South Asia, against the backdrop of the ongoing US naval enforcement around the Strait of Hormuz and a steady stream of bilateral exercises with regional militaries. Neither the embassy nor Sri Lankan officials have publicly disclosed the full list of meetings or any equipment or capability announcements expected during the visit.
