Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander U.S. Pacific Fleet, traveled to the Republic of Singapore, May 2-4, 2023 to affirm the partnership between Singapore and the United States.
Paparo met with senior Singapore defense officials to discuss enhancing defense cooperation, deepening partnerships, and supporting regional stability and security throughout the Indo-Pacific, including:
- Rear Adm. Aaron Beng, Chief of Defense Force, Singapore Armed Forces
- Rear Adm. Sean Wat, Chief of Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy
The two navies have a longstanding defense relationship and a strong navy-to-navy partnership that includes regular staff talks, port visits, exercises and exchanges throughout the year, including participation in International Maritime Defence Exhibition 2023 (IMDEX 23).
At IMDEX 23, Paparo participated in a panel discussion on ‘Cooperation and Collaboration in the Future Maritime Environment’ together with Adm. R. Hari Kumar, India’s Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Adm. David Proctor, New Zealand’s Chief of Navy, Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci, Philippine Navy’s Flag Officer in Command, and Vice Adm. Martin Connell, Second Sea Lord and U.K. Royal Navy’s Deputy Chief of Naval Staff. He addressed the commonality of Sailors and the threats they face, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, natural disasters, and threats to the international rules based order. The panel highlighted the bright future for cooperation between like-minded navies interested in enhancing professional interaction, supporting sovereignty and ensuring maritime security for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
During IMDEX, Paparo held bilateral meetings with:
- Adm. Ryo Sakai, Chief of Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
- Adm. Muhammad Ali, Chief of Navy, Indonesian Navy
- Adm. Francisco Hernando Cubides Granados, Chief of Navy, Colombian Navy
- Vice Adm. Mark Hammond, Chief of Navy, Royal Australian Navy
- Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack, Chief of German Navy
- Vice Adm. Antonio Natale, Commandant of Italian Navy Schools and Institutions, Italian Navy
- Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci, Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy
- Vice Adm. Priyantha Perera, Commander of the Navy, Sri Lanka Navy
- Vice Adm. Martin Connell, Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Royal Navy
While at Changi Naval Base aboard the littoral combat ship USS Mobile (LCS 26), Paparo met with:
- Adm. R. Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy
- Adm. Alberto Alcalá Luna, Commander-in-Chief, Peruvian Navy
- And participated in an Australia, India, Japan, United States multilateral meeting with Hammond, Kumar, and Sakai
While in Singapore, Paparo participated in a repatriation transfer ceremony at the U.S. Embassy for a Defense Personnel Accounting Agency mission to locate the remains of the crew of the B-24 bomber, called Heaven Can Wait, shot down in waters near Papua New Guinea on March 11, 1944.
The visit to Singapore underscored the United States’ commitment to strengthening alliances and partnerships for an enduring resilient, free and open Indo-Pacific.