General Michael Langley said America offered much more valuable security partnerships to African countries but would not force them to pick nations to corporate militarily with.

Gen Langley described the joint naval exercise as power projection by Russia and China.

South Africa sent more than 400 troops to the exercise while Russia sent a battleship armed with hypersonic missiles.

South Africa has denied the training amounted to an endorsement of the war in Ukraine.

Gen Langley also warned of the growing involvement of Russia’s Wanger Group in conflicts across Africa, saying they were a destabilising force.

Mercenaries from the group have fought in the Central Africa Republic, Libya and Mali.