British Armed Forces Chief of the Defense Staff General Sir Nick Carter arrived in Israel on Sunday to promote cooperation between the two countries.
General Carter was greeted by an honor guard headed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi at the IDF’s Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv. Following the reception, the British army chief held several meetings with senior Israeli officials and toured Israel’s Northern border with 91st Division Commander Brig. Gen. Raffi Milo.
On Monday, General Carter met with the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Tamir Heyman, and laid a wreath in a ceremony at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum as part of his tour in Jerusalem.
“His visit emphasizes the developing qualitative engagement between the IDF and the British military,” the IDF said in a statement.
Israel Ambassador to the Britain, Mark Regev, took to Twitter to herald the visit, saying: “Great to see Ministry of Defence Chief of Defence Staff Gen Sir Nick Carter visiting Israel. This important security cooperation is making our nations stronger and our peoples safer.”
During his visit, General Carter also participated in the “Arrow of Generations” cornerstone-laying ceremony at the Ramat David AFB. The project fosters the close partnership between the IDF and militaries around the world.
Every two years, the Israeli Air Force hosts “Blue Flag,” an international exercise in which air forces from other nations travel to the Jewish State to practice their aeronautic skills. Much like the American-hosted “Red Flag” drills, the exercise aims to forge bonds between multi-national allies.
In a sign of intensified military and defense relations, a team of Israeli combat pilots last year held a joint training seminar with the RAF Typhoon aircrew at a base in Lossiemouth in Scotland. In January, the Jewish Chronicle reported that Israel’s air force is to take part in its first-ever joint exercise with the Royal Airforce in the annual Cobra Warrior exercise at Coningsby airbase in Lincolnshire in September.
[Photo: Chatham House / Wikimedia Commons]