His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Prime Minister, met Monday with the Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces, Vice Admiral Samuel Paparo, at Riffa Palace in Manama.

HRH the Crown Prince highlighted the depth of the longstanding ties shared by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United States, noting the advanced level of bilateral cooperation between both countries, particularly in the military and defense fields, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

HRH the Crown Prince stressed the importance of continuing to strengthen cooperation and joint coordination between Bahrain and the US at various levels, in a way that benefits the people of both countries and contributes to greater security and stability in the region.

Regional and international topics of common interest were also discussed during the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Bahrain Defense Force (BDF), represented by the Royal Bahrain Naval Force, said it will conduct a two-day joint maritime drill, (The Maritime Barrier), along with a number of security agencies, on 24-25 November.

The joint exercise is within the BDF’s planned military training programs aimed at enhancing maritime security operations.