U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander To Visit Sri Lanka for High-Level Talks

COLOMBO (News 1st); Admiral Steve Koehler, a 4-star U.S. Navy Admiral and Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, will visit Sri Lanka on October 10, marking the highest-level U.S. military visit to the country since 2021. During the visit, Admiral Koehler will reaffirm the strong partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka for an enduring, resilient, free and open Indo-Pacific. Admiral Koehler will engage with senior Sri Lankan officials to discuss rising security challenges in the Indian Ocean region, strengthen collaboration on maritime domain awareness and disaster response, reaffirm U.S. commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in combating transnational threats, and discuss the growing cooperation between U.S. and Sri Lankan forces. This visit underscores the United States' strong commitment to strengthening security ties with Sri Lanka, a key partner in promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, said the US Embassy in a statement.

About Admiral Steve Koehler:

Admiral Steve Koehler grew up in a Navy Family and is a 1986 graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, where he was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). Designated a naval aviator in March 1989, he has flown over 3,900 hours in the F-14 Tomcat and F-18 Super Hornet with 600 carrier landings.  He holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College and is a graduate of the Joint Staff College and the Navy Nuclear Power Program. At sea, he served with Fighter Squadron (VF) 211, VF-41; was executive officer aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), and commanded Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143; USS Bataan (LHD 5); USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69); and Carrier Strike Group Nine. During these operational tours he supported Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve, Freedom’s Sentinel, Deliberate Guard, and Unified Protector in support of operations in the Middle East, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Libya, Operation Unified Response providing emergency disaster relief to Haiti, and peer competition operations in the East and South China Seas.  Ashore, Koehler has served as an instructor pilot with VF-101, placement officer at the Bureau of Naval Personnel, and chief of staff at Joint Task Force Horn of Africa in Djibouti. As a flag officer, he served as director of Fleet Training at U.S. Fleet Forces Command; director for Operations (J3), U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; deputy commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, and director for Strategy, Plans and Policy, J5, Joint Staff. He assumed command of U.S. Pacific Fleet on April 4, 2024.