By Guy Martin

As part of a regional visit, the US military’s Africa Command chief, General Stephen Townsend, has met with senior members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in order to strengthen bilateral defence relations.

“South Africa is a partner of choice for Africom. It is the regional anchor in sub-Saharan Africa,” he told defenceWeb. “We are here to improve relations with South Africa.”

After visiting Mozambique between 16 and 18 November, Townsend spent three days in South Africa, where he met with the top leadership of the SANDF. He said the meetings went well, with “a great exchange of ideas,” and exploration of ways to improve military-to-military relations.

Townsend admitted that defence relations between the two countries have “seen their ups and downs” but “now it’s a good time to elevate those relations.” He said the South African side was receptive to that and Townsend hoped his visit was just the first of many engagements.

When asked what strengthened US-SA military relations might look like, Townsend envisions everything from military students attending schools and courses to the supply of equipment and training as well as joint exercises. Medical training and humanitarian assistance is a key focus, especially in light of COVID-19 – the United States has provided medical assistance and equipment to numerous African countries, including South Africa, in response to the pandemic.

Townsend was confident that military exercises will take place in the future, such as Shared Accord – the 2017 edition of this exercise was held in South Africa. Since then, engagements have included ship visits, with the most recent being the USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams visiting Cape Town between September and October this year.

Regarding the supply of equipment and spares, Townsend said airlift is another area that he would like to see renewed, with discussions underway with the SANDF. The United States previously provided surplus C-130 Hercules aircraft, spares and training to the South African Air Force.

When it comes to cementing military-to-military cooperation, Townsend reiterated that the United States will take its cues from South Africa to determine what this will look like.

His visit to southern Africa would have taken place earlier but was delayed by roughly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It coincides with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken embarking on a wide-ranging Africa tour.

“Partnerships are important to the United States. President Joe Biden wants to strengthen relationships around the globe. That’s why we’re here,” Townsend told defenceWeb during his stop in Pretoria.

Whilst in Mozambique last week, Townsend and US Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W Hearne met with Mozambican Minister of Defence Cristóvão Chume and Chief of General Staff Admiral Joaquim Mangrasse. The officials discussed the importance of the US-Mozambique security partnership and progress in stabilizing the situation in northern Mozambique, according to the US Embassy in Maputo.

“The United States and Mozambique are building a strong security partnership,” said Hearne. “We share a mutual goal of establishing and maintaining peace and stability in Mozambique.”

“I came here to discuss with Mozambique’s security leaders our shared challenges,” said Townsend. “We have a good bilateral relationship and US Africa Command is looking for ways we can strengthen that to address those mutual concerns.”

Townsend’s visit to Mozambique came a month after Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams visited Maputo. Earlier in the year, the US Department of Defence conducted two Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) programmes between US Special Operations Forces and Mozambican Commandos and Fuzileiros. Other cooperation saw Mozambique participate in the Cutlass Express exercise.

When asked about the biggest challenge facing Africa, Townsend told defenceWeb the main threat Africom sees is Al Shabaab in East Africa, but the terror threat is growing in southern Africa and the United States is concerned about that.

As the insurgency in northern Mozambique began to grow several years ago, the United States began engaging with the Mozambican government and other international partners. Townsend said the United States is not leading any military efforts in Mozambique but is willing to assist the country. He added that it is nice to see other international partners like France, Portugal and the United Kingdom becoming involved, and the European Union establishing its Training Mission in Mozambique.

“US efforts will remain modest in Mozambique,” he said, in line with Africom’s view of helping African countries come up with African solutions to African problems.

In Mozambique, Townsend believes a part of solving the insurgency will be addressing governance issues and development. Africom will continue to engage at a modest level, with port calls, niche training events and development opportunities.

Apart from Mozambique, Townsend said terrorism is a threat across the whole of Africa, and it is spreading across West Africa with Islamic State West Africa Province and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM). He cautioned that the Islamic State is expanding into the Gulf of Guinea region.

After concluding his visit to South Africa, Townsend heads to Botswana, which he said is another strong partner. He would like to see engagements with other countries in the region, including Namibia and Angola.

This article was published by defenceWeb on November 22, 2021.

Featured Photo: Africom chief, General Stephen Townsend.

According to an Australian Department of Defence article published on November 16, 2021, Australia and and the United States had reach the 10 year mark in their enhanced defense cooperation.

On November 16, we celebrate a decade of expanded cooperation between the Australian Department of Defence and the United States Department of Defense through two Force Posture Initiatives (FPI): Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) and Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC).

The USFPI are an extension of Australia’s existing Defence relationship with the US and support the common interest of promoting regional security and stability.

The MRF-D has grown in size and complexity since the first rotation of US Marines through Darwin in 2012. In 2019, the goal of 2500 US Marines training with the ADF stationed in Darwin was reached.

The structure of MRF-D continues to evolve in response to the changing environment and advances in technology, with the focus shifting to capability rather than numbers. Highly complex joint training scenarios are now being executed, which continue to challenge our forces and better prepare us to rapidly respond in the region, if and when called upon to do so.

This year, about 2200 US Marines and sailors conducted a comprehensive range of training activities, including humanitarian assistance, security operations and high-end, live-fire exercises – exercises that develop enhanced interoperability between the ADF and US Marines and key partners.

These deployments also offer a valuable opportunity to develop working relationships with other government agencies, including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment; and the Australian Border Force.

The EAC has deepened air-to-air integration between the ADF and US air elements, particularly in the areas of maintenance, logistics, refuelling, aeromedical evacuation, and advanced warfighting.

Investments by Australia and the US in a range of infrastructure projects that support USFPI activities in the Northern Territory have benefitted local businesses, with several winning multimillion dollar contracts for the development of key infrastructure, including modular accommodation and aircraft maintenance facilities.

At AUSMIN in September 2021, Australia and the US announced the agreement to enhance US force posture cooperation in Australia in four key areas to:

• establish an integrated logistics capability
• expand existing enhanced air cooperation
• enhance maritime sustainment cooperation
• evolve bilateral and multilateral operations and exercises.

These new areas of cooperation will increase interoperability and deepen alliance activities in the Indo-Pacific.

And an RAAF article published in the November 25, 2021 Air Force magazine focused on the EAC part of enhanced cooperation:

The United States Force Posture Initiative (USFPI), including the establishment of Enhanced Air Cooperation (EAC), are core to the alliance and a tangible demonstration of our shared interests and deep engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.

Since then, EAC and the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) – which make up USFPI – have grown in complexity and size.

EAC commenced in February 2017, as a second initiative under the USFPI. The EAC initiative is led by CAF and Commander US Pacific Air Forces.

GPCAPT Paul Nicholas, of AFHQ, said that EAC was designed to significantly enhance and strengthen not only our relationship with the US Air Force, but with all the aviation arms of the US military including the Marines, Navy and Army.

“EAC is more than partnering for combined exercises, it is an opportunity to focus on lines of effort to progress interoperability across areas such as combat support, health, air-to-air refuelling, engineering, and logistics,” GPCAPT Nicholas said.

“Through the EAC, exercises such as Talisman Sabre and Pitch Black have allowed SMEs from both nations to develop the necessary changes to policies, regulations, tactics, techniques and procedures, through hands-on collaborative work.

“EAC has a strong focus on logistics to ensure we are able to operate and sustain air forces across the full operational spectrum and basing locations.”

EAC provides the opportunity to test operating procedures under exercise conditions and being able to rationalise resources on those areas that are most important.

“We don’t need to be able to drive every air movements vehicle, although we may want to cross-qualify on key ones such as tow motors and forklifts,” GPCAPT Nicholas said.

The authorisation for RAAF and USAF maintainers to service each other’s C-17 Globemasters was a high-profile outcome.

“To have another nation service your aircraft is a key milestone that was built on a common understanding and trust in each other’s platform maintenance regulations and standards, common training systems and agreements,” GPCAPT Nicholas said.

The aim is now to progress additional agreements with common USAF and USN aircraft systems, such as C-130J, F-35 and P-8.

“We want the emerging capabilities such as F-35s to do more than just operate together from a shared location; we want them to operate seamlessly together as a truly integrated and coherent force package,” GPCAPT Nicholas said.

Noting the long, shared history of RAAF and USAF working together, GPCAPT Nicholas said the EAC is adding another layer of depth to the partnership.

“We’ve always had a sense of shared experience and great trust between the aviators of both nations, and with EAC we are building on that understanding” he said.

The EAC has deepened air-to-air integration between the ADF and US air elements, particularly in the areas of maintenance, logistics, refuelling, aeromedical evacuation and advanced warfighting.