Colombo: Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) visited the USS Santa Barbara (LCS), an Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship of the United States Navy, currently docked at the Port of Colombo.

According to Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka, Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) and Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda accompanied the Deputy Minister during the visit. They were welcomed by U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung and U.S. Defence Attaché Lieutenant Colonel Matthew House, highlighting the cooperative ties between the two nations.

The visit aimed to explore future opportunities for collaboration in maritime security, regional stability, and technical exchanges between the defence establishments of Sri Lanka and the United States. During the visit, Commanding Officer of the USS Santa Barbara, Commander Adam J. Ochs, provided an in-depth briefing on the ship’s capabilities and modular mission systems.

This visit marks
the USS Santa Barbara’s first port call to Colombo, emphasizing the strength of the U.S.-Sri Lanka partnership and their shared commitment to a secure, prosperous, and free Indo-Pacific.