Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby provided the following readout:
Senior delegations from the United States and Jordan met February 23-24 in Washington, D.C. for the 42nd meeting of the U.S.-Jordan Joint Military Commission (JMC). The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander. The Jordanian delegation was led by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Hnaity.
The JMC is the premier bilateral forum for senior U.S. and Jordanian government and military officials to discuss ongoing security assistance and military cooperation.
United States and Jordanian officials reiterated their commitment to further advance their robust security partnership, which is a pillar of regional stability. The delegations discussed a broad range of issues that are vital to the United States' and Jordan's shared strategic interests, to include the threats posed by Iran's proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Systems, continued development of its missile program, and ongoing cultivation of violent non-state groups throughout the region. The delegations also discussed the continuing challenges posed by ISIS and other violent extremist organizations and the importance of maintaining security along Jordan's borders with Iraq and Syria. The U.S. delegation praised Jordan's ongoing cooperation with Israel to address regional security challenges, and its critical regional leadership role.
Senior United States Government officials expressed gratitude for Jordan's participation in the Defeat-ISIS coalition and the Jordanian Armed Force's leadership in advancing stability and security across the region. They reinforced the U.S. government's support for the modernization of Jordan's fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft, which will improve the interoperability and effectiveness of the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
Both parties agreed on the importance of the bilateral partnership and the need for continuing to advance cooperation on addressing mutual security challenges.
