WASHINGTON – Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby met with Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Vice Adm. René Tas at the Pentagon, Feb. 22.

The two leaders discussed the navies’ interoperability including Rim of the Pacific, the world’s largest international exercise, and Operation Prosperity Guardian.

Operation Prosperity Guardian is bringing together countries to jointly address security challenges in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the goal of ensuring freedom of navigation for all countries and bolstering regional security and prosperity.

Kilby also discussed strategic competition and both countries’ operations in the Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy regularly operate together around the world.

This was the first meeting between the two admirals since Kilby assumed the office.