The United States and Sri Lanka today officially launched PACIFIC ANGEL (Pac Angel) 25 at the Katunayake Air Base, with U.S. Defense Attaché Lt. Col. Matthew House joining Sri Lanka Air Force leaders to open the exercise.

The five-day multilateral program, held from 8th–12th of September brings together nearly 90 U.S. and 120 Sri Lanka Air Force personnel, along with participants and observers from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Japan, and the Maldives, the U.S. Embassy in Colombo announced. The exercise aims to strengthen disaster response capabilities and save lives.

Training will focus on search and rescue, medical readiness, air safety, and engineering cooperation. Supported by two U.S. C-130J aircraft and Sri Lanka’s Bell 412, B-212 helicopter, and King Air 350, Pac Angel 25 seeks to build trust and teamwork for faster, more effective responses to real-world crises.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung described Pac Angel 25 as the largest multilateral exercise hosted in Sri Lanka this year. She said the program highlights how Indo-Pacific partners—including Australia, Bangladesh, India, Japan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the United States—are preparing together for humanitarian and disaster challenges.

“As Indo-Pacific partners, we safeguard security and open commerce. Exercises like Pac Angel strengthen our ability to face challenges together and protect the peace and stability on which our region depends,” she added.

U.S. Defense Attaché Lt. Col. Matthew House emphasized that Pac Angel goes beyond training. “It is about forging real-world cooperation with our allies and partners that enables rapid, coordinated responses to crises. By training together, we strengthen trust, deter threats, and ensure that when disaster strikes, we can respond swiftly and effectively. What we build today is a foundation for tomorrow’s shared security,” he said.

Now in its 18th year, Pacific Angel is a recurring humanitarian response exercise led by the U.S. Pacific Air Forces and sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). First launched in 2008 following its 2007 inaugural mission in Kiribati, Nauru, and Vanuatu, the exercise has become a cornerstone of U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

The U.S. Embassy noted that Pacific Angel exercises are conducted at the request of host nations and are planned months in advance. They are not responses to current crises, but are designed to enhance each nation’s capacity to support its citizens and respond effectively to natural disasters and other emergencies.