Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii –
In a historic visit, Gen. Kevin Schneider, Pacific Air Forces commander, traveled to Vietnam for the delivery of five T6-C training aircraft to the Vietnamese Air Defence Air Force November 18-21, 2024.
Schneider landed in the first T6-C aircraft before providing remarks at the formal acquisition ceremony Nov. 20, hosted by the ADAF at Phan Thiet Air Base in Binh Thuan province.
“This event is not about reaching an endpoint in delivering these aircraft,” Schneider said. “It’s about achieving a modernized air force, advancing Vietnam’s ability to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensuring our common commitment to peace and the rule of law that governs the seas and skies.”
While in Vietnam, Schneider met with U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper and U.S. Consul General Susan Burns. He also toured the historic consulate grounds.
Schneider spent time at the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City and met with the Vietnamese and U.S. Agency for International Development dioxin remediation team at Bien Hoa Air Base to discuss the ongoing clean-up project.
“The United States and Vietnam are working to bolster security through enhanced cooperation that will improve our collective air and maritime domain awareness,” Schneider said. “This is a moment of affirmation to the commitment we have made to each other, and a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when we are committed to mutual understanding and building a forward-looking path together.”