US Air Force Southern Commander on visit
U.S. Air Force Major General (Maj. Gen.) Evan L. Pettus, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Commander, began a visit here on Wednesday.
During his stay, Maj. Gen. Pettus is scheduled to meet with senior leaders in the Government of Guyana, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and U.S. Embassy to discuss the U.S. defence partnership with Guyana, a statement from the US Embassy said.
During his visit with GDF leadership, the statement said that Maj. Gen. Pettus plans to discuss air domain awareness and collaborate on advancing Guyana’s airspace awareness capacity to protect its national security and sovereignty. Maj. Gen. Pettus’ visit to Guyana is his first trip overseas in 2024 and signifies the importance of the bilateral security partnership as the GDF continues to expand its aviation capabilities, the US Embassy said.
Georgetown is seeking to expand its aviation assets to patrol its offshore area and land borders. The army’s aviation wing recently suffered a major setback when one of its new Bell helicopters crashed, killing five senior personnel.
Aside from underlining the growing ties between Guyana and the US Southern Command, the visit is the latest demonstration of stepped up defence diplomacy by Guyana in the wake of Venezuelan aggression over the border controversy.
As the Air Force component to U.S. Southern Command, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) conducts security cooperation and provides air, space, and cyberspace capabilities throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The statement from the embassy said that 12th Air
Force (Air Forces Southern) supports U.S. Southern Command to deter aggression, defeat threats, rapidly respond to crises, and work with allies and partner nations to build regional capacity to ensure a secure, free, and prosperous Western Hemis-phere. Maj. Gen. Pettus’ visit to Guyana underscores the continued importance and strong commitment the United States places on the U.S.-Guyana bilateral security partnership in support of regional stability, the US Embassy said.
“The United States continues to work closely with its allies around the world to strengthen alliances and partnerships by improving interoperability, deepening information-sharing and planning, and conducting complex joint and combined exercises”, the statement added.