U.S. and Morocco Launch “African Lion” 2023

Royal Moroccan Armed Forced and the U.S. army launched this Monday the “African Lion-2023“, one of the major annual exercises organized in Africa to strengthen cooperation and training, enhance interoperability, and promote the exchange of military experiences.

A ceremony marking the start of this military exercise was organized at the HQ of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces in Agadir in presence of representatives of participating countries.

Besides Agadir, the exercise, to run until June 16, will take place in the region of Tan Tan, Mehbes, Tiznit, Kenitra, Ben Guerir and Tifnit.

“Our collective ability to bring like-minded nations together for an exercise like this is truly impressive,” said Maj. Gen. Joel Tyler, United States Africa Command Chief of Staff. “African Lion is the centerpiece of the AFRICOM exercise strategy, and one of the greatest U.S. exercises across the globe.”

AL23 provides an opportunity to conduct realistic, dynamic, and collaborative readiness training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands including U.S. Africa Command, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Central Command; as well as strategic maritime choke points and global shipping lanes.

This year’s exercise features multiple combined arms live fire exercises; a maritime exercise; an air exercise with U.S. C-130J Super Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker, F-16 Fighting Falcons and bomber aircraft; a joint forcible entry with paratroopers into a field training exercise; two chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear response exercises; and three

According to U.S. Africa Command, African Lion drill strengthens shared defense capabilities and cooperation to counter transnational threats and violent extremist organizations.