The US Army is considering the creation of a network of regional drone training centers in Africa aimed at strengthening the capabilities of partner forces facing shared security challenges, with the first such facility to be established in Morocco, the defense-focused outlet Stars and Stripes reported.
The initiative is expected to begin next month in Morocco during the annual African Lion military exercise, according to remarks by Gen. Christopher Donahue, the US Army’s senior commander for Europe and Africa, cited by Stars and Stripes.
African Lion, co‑hosted by the United States and Morocco, will take place in April and May across Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and Ghana. The exercise will involve more than 10,000 troops from around 20 countries, according to US Africa Command (AFRICOM).
This year’s edition will include a pilot drone training module for 16 participants, the outlet said.
Donahue said the planned regional centers would focus not only on equipment and field training but also on developing shared problem‑solving approaches tailored to Africa’s cultural, environmental and operational contexts.
The general made the comments at the opening of the African Land Forces Summit in Rome, hosted by the US\ Army Southern European Task Force, Africa. The three‑day conference brings together US, African and European military officials as well as industry representatives to strengthen regional security cooperation and discuss emerging technologies, according to Stars and Stripes.
The initiative comes as many African countries seek to expand the use of unmanned aerial systems to counter terrorism, illicit trafficking, poaching and border threats, while often facing budget constraints that limit access to advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.
As a first step, two specialized drone courses will be tested in Morocco during African Lion. One will focus on integrating drones into military planning, while the second will provide hands‑on training on multiple drone systems. The courses are expected to last eight to ten days, according to a US command statement cited by Stars and Stripes.
In recent years, the media has reported Morocco’s implementation of several drone‑related procurement and development initiatives as part of efforts to modernize its armed forces.
The kingdom has acquired combat and surveillance drone systems from foreign partners and has also outlined plans to develop a domestic military drone industry, according to publicly reported statements and official announcements.
African Lion, launched in 2004, has grown into the largest US-led multinational military exercise on the African continent and is a central pillar of US-Moroccan defense cooperation.
The exercise is held within the framework of a 2020–2030 U.S.–Morocco defense cooperation roadmap, which aims to deepen collaboration in training, interoperability and regional security preparedness.
