U.S. warship docks in Colombo, boosting defence cooperation

Sri Lanka’s 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, today (August 16).

Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), and Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, also joined the Deputy Minister on this occasion. The delegation was received by U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, and U.S. Defence Attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew House, reflecting the close and cooperative ties between the two nations.

The visit provided an opportunity to explore future avenues 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, delivered a comprehensive briefing on the ship’s advanced capabilities and modular mission systems.

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