Moroccan-U.S.‘African Lion 2021’ Exercise will take place on June 7-18

Following the high instructions of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, the joint Moroccan-US exercise “African Lion 2021” will take place on June 7-18, 2021, in the regions of Agadir, Tifnit, Tan Tan, Mehbes, Tafraout, Ben Guerir and Kenitra, and will involve thousands of troops from several countries and a very large number of land, air and sea equipment.

In addition to the United States and the Kingdom of Morocco, the 17th edition of this exercise will see the participation of Great Britain, Brazil, Canada, Tunisia, Senegal, the Netherlands, Italy as well as that of the Atlantic Alliance, in addition to military observers from nearly thirty countries representing Africa, Europe and America, says a statement by the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR).

The objectives of this exercise, considered among the major combined exercises in the world, are numerous: to strengthen the maneuver capabilities of the participating units; consolidate interoperability between participants in the planning and conduct of joint operations in a coalition framework; perfecting tactics, techniques and procedures; develop cyber defense skills, train the air component in the conduct of hunting, support and air refueling operations; consolidate cooperation in the area of maritime security; conduct exercises at sea in the field of naval tactics and conventional warfare and carry out humanitarian activities, the statement points out.

It will include, in addition to training and simulations in command activities and training on operations to combat violent terrorist organizations, land, airborne, air, maritime and Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical decontamination exercises.

As part of parallel humanitarian activities, a field medico-surgical hospital will be deployed at Amlen (Tafraout) where medical and surgical services will be provided for the local populations of the region by medical teams made up of doctors and nurses from the FAR and the US Army.

“African Lion 2021” is one of the major exercises jointly organized and led by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Royal Armed Forces, with a view to consolidating cooperation and training, increasing interoperability as well as promoting the exchange of experience and knowledge between the various military components in order to enable them to reach their full operational capacity, the statement concludes.