DVIDS – News – Royal Malaysian Air Force Deputy Chief visits Washington State

The Washington National Guard welcomed a senior delegation from Malaysia as part of its long-standing State Partnership Program (SPP) Sept. 11 – 13, 2025, at Camp Murray and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The delegation included Lt. Gen. Dato’ Nur Hafis bin Abdul Karim, deputy chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

The visit highlighted the growing cooperation between the Washington National Guard and Malaysia, a partnership built through the National Guard’s SPP that connects National Guard units with foreign militaries to strengthen security cooperation, interoperability, and people-to-people ties.

During the multi-day engagement, the deputy chief and his team met with Maj. Gen. Gent Welsh, the Adjutant General of the Washington National Guard. Additionally, they toured the Western Air Defense Sector and CyberSpace Operations Group facilities and discussed opportunities to expand collaboration between the two partner nations.

“It was an honor to meet with LTG Hafis again. We last met in D.C. last year when the Royal Malaysian Air Force Air Chief visited. He is the highest-ranking Royal Malaysian officer we’ve had the privilege of hosting in Washington state,” said Welsh. “His visit underscores the value of our relationships through the State Partnership Program.”

The past few years, airmen from Washington and Malaysia have expanded the number of exchanges on air defense and cyber operations. During the recent visit, the deputy chief and delegation received demonstrations and mission briefs to better learn what future exchanges can focus on and benefit both nations.

“These exchanges with Malaysia truly are beneficial to both nations, in terms of building capacity and strengthening our relationships,” said Welsh. “Our airmen look forward to traveling to Malaysia to share knowledge and expand both nations abilities in today’s complex environment.”

Before visiting the units, bin Abdul Karim and the delegation visited the memorial for Col. Hasnol Abu Hassan, a Royal Malaysian Air Force officer who died after experiencing a medical emergency in November 2021 while participating in an airmen-to-airmen talks in Washington.

“Anytime our Malaysian partners come here and want to visit the memorial, we are honored to not only take them but visit with them,” said Welsh.

The Washington National Guard has partnered with Malaysia since 2017, building enduring connections through military exchanges, subject-matter expert engagements, and combined training opportunities. The recent visit marked another step forward in advancing cooperation between the two forces.