PACAF, Bangladesh Air Force collaborate during fifth Airman-to-Airman Talk

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jimmie D. Pike
  • Pacific Air Forces
U.S. Air Force Airmen from Pacific Air Forces headquarters and their counterparts from the Bangladesh Air Force met virtually for their fifth Airman-to-Airman Talk Nov. 8 – 10, 2021.

The A2ATs are an established avenue to bolster military-to-military relations and increase interoperability. The U.S. Air Force conducts these engagements with partner nations’ air forces to plan for upcoming bilateral activities and establish partner goals.

“This is the second virtual Airman-to-Airman Talk between the two parties,” said Maj. Nathan Wills, Pacific Air Forces country director for Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “Meeting virtually due to the COVID pandemic illustrates the importance of working together to maintain an open, safe, and secure Indo-Pacific through enduring bilateral partnerships.”

Maj. Gen. Tyler Otten, PACAF Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, was head of the PACAF delegation opposite of Air Vice Marshal Fazlul Haque, BAF Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Plans).

During the meeting, PACAF and Bangladesh Airmen discussed joint collaboration in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief missions, medical engagements, and national defense.

Both heads of delegation also expressed their shared goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“Both the U.S. and Bangladesh air forces share a desire to maintain a free, stable, and safe Indo-Pacific region,” said Otten. “We share those objectives, the foundation of which is based on our partnership and it allows us to become more interoperable. We look forward to many more cooperative engagements like this to facilitate growth together.”

The two parties signed meeting minutes to close this iteration of the PACAF-BAF A2AT, and acknowledge the desire and necessity to continue close cooperation in the future.

Continued bilateral discussions, virtual or otherwise, strengthen the bond and increase all parties’ capabilities to respond together across the Indo-Pacific in the case of humanitarian crises. The next PACAF-BAF A2AT is slated for 2022 in Hawaii.