Readout of 17th U.S.-Qatar Military Consultative Commission and 21st U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee

Sept. 30, 2026 |

From September 20-25, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War (DASW) for Near East and Central Asia Michael P. DiMino IV traveled to Qatar and Bahrain to co-chair the 17th U.S.-Qatar Military Consultative Commission (MCC) and 21st U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee (MCC) alongside representatives of the Joint Staff, U.S. Central Command, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the Department of State.

In Doha, DASW DiMino led the 17th annual U.S.-Qatar MCC alongside Qatar Major General Ali Al Kuwari. The delegations exchanged views on regional security and identified priority efforts to further enhance Qatar's defensive capabilities and interoperability with U.S. forces. Qatar agreed to explore expansion of its maintenance and sustainment facilities for common platforms, including PATRIOT, and strengthen cooperation in defense-relevant critical minerals. DASW DiMino also met with Qatar's Minister of Defense, Sheikh Saoud Al Thani and Qatar's Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Jassim Al Mannai and visited U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base.

In Manama, DASW DiMino co-chaired the 21st U.S.-Bahrain MCC with Bahrain's Minister of Defense Affairs H.E. Lieutenant General Abdullah Al-Noaimi. The delegations assessed regional security challenges and discussed opportunities for Bahrain to continue integrating with U.S. forces and investing in its defensive counter-air capabilities, including the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS). Bahrain also committed to participate in Task Force Falcon Strike, CENTCOM's multi-domain, multi-national drone task force, enabling Bahraini forces to increasingly leverage these capabilities in support of regional deterrence.

Readout of the 16th U.S.-Kuwait Joint Military Commission

Aug. 21, 2026 |

From August 19-20, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War (DASW) for Near East and Central Asia Michael P. DiMino IV and Kuwait's Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Khaled al-Shriaan co-chaired the 16th U.S.-Kuwait Joint Military Commission (JMC) at the Pentagon alongside representatives from U.S. Central Command, the Joint Staff, the Maryland National Guard, and the State Department.  Exemplified by recent operations and decades of cooperation, the delegations emphasized their commitment to a strong, reciprocal, and enduring defense partnership and formalized operational roadmaps that will further advance our mutual defense interests.

During the dialogue, the delegations exchanged assessments of regional security challenges and discussed opportunities for Kuwait to continue bolstering its defense capabilities against shared threats. They discussed mitigating such threats through greater interoperability, expanding cooperation on maritime security, and enhancing regional integrated air and missile defense architectures. Both leaders highlighted how the proliferation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has transformed warfare, underscoring the critical importance of deeper integration.  Kuwait is committed to deepening its investment in its own defense and in the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, highlighted by a pending $1.98 billion acquisition of Anduril counter-small UAS (C-sUAS) systems as part of a broader Kuwaiti plan to expand foreign military sales (FMS).  Additionally, the delegations discussed the America First Arms Transfer Strategy and related efforts to streamline FMS processes and accelerate the modernization of Kuwait's armed forces.

Additionally, DASW DiMino formally announced Kuwait's acceptance into the State Partnership Program and its pairing with the Maryland National Guard (MDNG), represented at the JMC by Adjutant General Major General Janeen Birckhead.

Multinational Partners Strengthen Regional Readiness During Exercise Panamax 2026

Aug. 7, 2026 | By Andrea Jenkins, Air Forces Southern |

Airmen assigned to 12th Air Force, Air Forces Southern, joined approximately 40 military personnel from across the Americas during Panamax 2026, a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored multinational exercise focused on an integrated approach against simulated threats to the Panama Canal and the region. 

The exercise continues until Aug. 14 and provides participating forces from 19 nations with an opportunity to conduct combined security and stability operations, enhance interoperability, and strengthen their collective capability to support Panama in defending the canal and preserving regional security. 

Approximately 40 military personnel from Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are working together to synchronize multinational air component planning, command and control, and decision-making in response to simulated threats to the Panama Canal and regional security. 

Air Forces Southern led the combined air component in one of the Western Hemisphere's premier multinational exercises at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. 

"We are proud to host Panamax here at Davis-Monthan and to work alongside our partner nations as we train to protect one of the most strategically important waterways in the world," said Air Force Maj. Gen. David Mineau, 12th Air Force commander. "This exercise helps us sharpen the coordination, trust and readiness needed to support Panama in the defense of the canal and preserve regional security." 

The biennial exercise reinforces the enduring commitment of the United States and partner nations to regional security through cooperation, transparency and shared responsibility. By training together before a crisis occurs, participating nations build the trust, professional relationships and interoperability that enable faster, more effective responses when real-world events demand coordinated action. 

"This opportunity was the first time Ecuador brought air force intelligence personnel, and the immense value of this training for our force and our partners is already clear," said Ecuadorian air force Lt. Col. Andres Acosta, an operations, intelligence and analysis officer. "Exchanging operational perspectives and discussing air doctrine face-to-face builds the mutual trust and understanding essential for our shared security." 

The exercise scenario is designed to challenge participants in a realistic multinational environment while strengthening each nation's ability to operate alongside allies and partners during a coalition response to a notional contingency. 

For Air Forces Southern, Panamax supports the command's commitment to strengthening partnerships across the Western Hemisphere by improving readiness, reinforcing integrated deterrence and enhancing the collective ability of allied and partner air forces to respond to evolving regional security challenges.

"Panamax is more than a multinational exercise; it is an opportunity to bring together talented professionals from across the hemisphere, learn from one another and strengthen the partnerships that underpin regional security," Mineau said. "That cooperation is essential to ensuring we are ready to respond together to future challenges." 

Beyond tactical and operational training, the exercise strengthens the professional networks and institutional relationships that enable long-term cooperation throughout the region. It provides participants the opportunity to exchange best practices, improve communication procedures and develop a shared understanding of multinational planning and execution. 

"Collaborating in a combined air component environment allows us to synchronize our procedures and learn from each other's expertise," Acosta said. "This training ensures that if we are called upon to respond to a real-world contingency, we can operate seamlessly as one united team to preserve regional stability." 

Since its inception, Panamax has evolved into a premier multinational exercise demonstrating the value of enduring partnerships, shared commitment and collective readiness. Each iteration builds upon previous exercises, strengthening interoperability and ensuring participating nations remain prepared to operate together in support of regional security and stability. 

"It is an honor to welcome our partners to Panamax and train together in support of a mission that matters to the hemisphere," Mineau said. "By rehearsing how we integrate, communicate and operate as one team, we improve our collective ability to protect the Panama Canal, strengthen deterrence and meet the shared security responsibilities we all carry." 

Readout of the 45th U.S.-Jordan Joint Military Commission

July 17, 2026 |

On July 15, Assistant Secretary of War for International Security Affairs Daniel Zimmerman and Jordan's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Major General Yousef Al Hnaity co-chaired the 45th U.S.-Jordan Joint Military Commission (JMC) in Amman, Jordan, reaffirming the mutual commitment to the enduring strategic partnership between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The JMC serves as the premier bilateral forum for aligning U.S. and Jordanian defense policies and advancing mutual security objectives. Assistant Secretary Zimmerman underscored the National Defense Strategy imperative to empower allies and partners to take primary responsibility for their defense. He highlighted Jordan's indispensable leadership in advancing regional and international security and stability efforts and in protecting our people and our assets.

The delegations discussed a broad range of issues that are vital to both countries' shared strategic interests, to include enhancing interoperability between U.S. and Jordanian forces and fostering critical warfighting competencies to address mutual security challenges. They also discussed a range of regional policy priorities and opportunities for increased military cooperation, including on integrated air and missile defense and counterterrorism.

The 45th JMC concluded with both nations expressing a mutual commitment to strengthen the U.S.-Jordan defense partnership.

Allies Come Together in the Indo-Pacific for Exercise Valiant Shield 26

June 22, 2026 | By Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet |

U.S. Pacific Command joint forces, along with allied and partner forces, kicked off Exercise Valiant Shield 2026 today in the Indo-Pacific region. 

The training exercise will run until July 1 and take place in the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Japan and at sea around the Mariana Islands Range Complex. 

Valiant Shield 26 is a multinational, biennial field training exercise focused on integrating interoperability training in a multidomain environment. This training builds real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, in space, on land and in cyberspace. 

Exercises such as VS26 enable all U.S. forces and allies across the Indo-Pacific region to integrate and train in precise, lethal and overwhelming scenarios that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the joint and combined force.  

With the involvement of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Transportation Command, VS26 is expanding the multidomain, cross-combatant command collaboration required for any large-scale exercise or operation. The exercise prepares the joint and combined force to rapidly respond to crises and contingencies across the spectrum of operations — from humanitarian assistance and disaster response to armed conflict. 

"Valiant Shield demonstrates our enduring commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Navy Adm. Steve Koehler, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet. "Exercising advanced multidomain capabilities with our allies ensures we continue to seamlessly innovate and operate together, project combat power together and prevail over any challenge — together." 

The exercise assists U.S., allied and partner forces in developing regional and global power projection capabilities. Integrated training provides a full range of options to succeed in the defense of U.S. interests and those of like-minded nations around the world. 

This year marks the 11th iteration of Exercise Valiant Shield, which began in 2006. It is also the second time the Japan Self-Defense Forces has been heavily integrated in the planning and execution.   

Since 2024, Valiant Shield has become a multilateral joint field training exercise, further integrating allies and partners into the multidomain environment. While it started as a unilateral U.S. exercise, it has evolved to meet the demands of the security environment, incorporating new technologies and strategies.