The United States is helping Kenya secure its waters by investing in a new Marine Range and Close Quarters Battle training complex at the Kenya Navy Base in Mtongwe, Mombasa County.
Designed to boost the skills of Kenyan marine commandos, the $750,483 facility features a 100-meter small arms range and a live-fire shooting range that can simulate realistic combat scenarios. It also includes areas designed to sharpen combat readiness and support maritime security operations along Kenya’s coast and the western Indian Ocean. It was commissioned March 25.
At the facility’s commissioning, Commander of the Kenya Navy, Maj. Gen. Paul Otieno commended the countries’ longstanding partnership and reaffirmed the Kenya Navy’s commitment to joint operational readiness and maintaining a proactive approach in safeguarding both national and regional maritime interests.
The facility opened as U.S. Navy Adm. George Wikoff, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Allied Joint Force Command Naples, met Kenyan military leaders in Nairobi and Mombasa over two days in late March. The talks aimed to strengthen cooperation on maritime security, counterterrorism efforts and regional stability across the Western Indian Ocean and Somali border.
“Kenya is a critical maritime and security partner in East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean,” Wikoff said in a news release. “Our cooperation is built on shared interests and shared sacrifices, and together we are working to promote stability, protect vital sea lanes, and counter those who threaten regional security.”
In Nairobi, Wikoff met with Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), Gen. Charles Muriu Kahariri, to discuss long-term defense cooperation, including modernizing Kenya’s military, improving coordination and aligning security efforts, according to the KDF.
The facility’s opening coincided with the conclusion of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2026, a joint operation that aimed to improve interoperability among the Kenya Navy, U.S. Navy and Interpol. The event focused on improving maritime surveillance and improving intelligence gathering to address illicit activities within the Western Indian Ocean.
The U.S. government has long helped Kenya better equip and train its forces to address evolving threats, including piracy, terrorism, illicit drug and arms trafficking and illegal fishing. In 2023, the two countries signed a five-year joint defense deal aimed at improving regional peace and security. The following year, Kenya received 6,730 pieces of advanced protective equipment valued at $1.38 million from United States Africa Command. The donation included soft body armor, ballistic helmets to protect Soldiers from small-arms fire, and ballistic plates to withstand heavy ammunition.
