U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin hosted Royal Malaysian Air Force Chief of Air Force Gen. Tan Sri Dato' Sri Mohd Asghar Khan bin Goriman Khan for an official counterpart visit Sept. 10 to strengthen the longstanding bilateral defense relationship and discuss opportunities for further cooperation.
As part of the visit, Asghar Khan received a full honors arrival at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, attended both an office call and staff talks with Allvin at the Pentagon, and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
During the office call, Allvin and Asghar Khan exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific security environment and stressed the importance of mutual understanding and respect to ensure a secure and prosperous region. The leaders also discussed the RMAF's modernization efforts, exploring potential areas for cooperation and agreeing on the crucial role of airpower in safeguarding national sovereignty. Allvin conveyed the U.S. Air Force's appreciation for hosting Malaysian personnel at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College, and other formal training courses. Allvin further expressed how he was looking forward to future opportunities to strengthen bilateral interoperability, security cooperation and combined readiness, including at the next iteration of exercise Cope Taufan.
The office call was followed by staff talks to discuss a range of topics. Subjects included the RMAF's partnership with the Washington Air National Guard through the State Partnership Program, maritime domain awareness, international and interagency cooperative models, and command and control concepts.
In addition to his engagements in the National Capital Region, Asghar Khan traveled to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, where he met with Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, and attended a series of briefings and meetings regarding ACC capabilities.
