African Lion 2024

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African Lion 2024: Morocco hosts multinational planning meeting

AGADIR, Morocco- This past month marks the start of a new edition of the annual African Lion military exercises, a partner-led, U.S. enabled exercise executed across North and West Africa slated for next summer. This planning meeting, organized by the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) and the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), hosted military planners from Ghana, Italy, the Netherlands, Senegal and the United Kingdom to begin detailed planning for Exercise African Lion 24, Sept. 18-22.

This year also marks the twentieth anniversary of the African Lion exercise series. What started as a bilateral exercise between the U.S. Marines and the Moroccan Army has grown every year to include three additional African host nations, multiple African and European partners and allies, and the entire U.S. joint and total force.

African Lion is U.S. Africa Command's premier, joint, annual exercise hosted by Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia from May to June 2024. Annually, more than 10,000 participants from 20 nations and NATO train together with a focus on enhancing interoperability with African partner nation forces.

“We are incredibly excited to convene this exercise alongside our partners across Africa and Europe for this 20th anniversary of African Lion,” said Lt. Col. Drew Schaub, U.S. AFRICOM Joint and Combined Exercise branch chief. “While this partner-led, U.S. enabled exercise has changed and grown over the years, the commitment to improving security cooperation between African nations and communication among all our partners is unwavering.”

The week-long planning meeting aims to identify training scenarios, logistical requirements and training objectives for all participants for next summer's multinational exercise. Based on the complexity and scale of this exercise, planning begins months before execution.

The exercise is a joint, all-domain, multi-component and multinational training event, employing a full array of mission capabilities to strengthen interoperability among participants and set the theater for strategic access. The annual exercise provides unmatched opportunities for participation and cooperation on the African continent.

A key element of the growth of African Lion over the past several years has been the inclusion of other North and West African nations as hosts of the exercise. This year, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia each host significant training events in their country, integrating U.S. units as well as other European and African partners into their training plans.

"As we have for the past three years, we are again ready to host African Lion in Ghana," said Ghana Army Brig. Gen. Frank Tei, Deputy Chief Staff Officer (DCSO) for Operations and Training, Army. “This exercise provides us the opportunity to work on a broad range of skills directly with the U.S. and our neighbors. We believe this coordination not only contributes to our security, but the broader security of our region.”

As a large-scale global exercise, African Lion demonstrates U.S. AFRICOM building and maintaining interoperability with our African and European partners to improve our ability to meet security-related challenges together. Over the next eight months, military and civilian planners will meet multiple times in each host nation to deliberately plan and refine the exercise.

https://www.army.mil/article/270642/african_lion_2024_morocco_hosts_multinational_planning_meeting

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African Lion 2024: réunion de planification principale du 29 janvier au 02 février à Agadir

Rabat - L'État-Major de la Zone Sud abrite, du 29 janvier au 02 février 2024 à Agadir, la réunion de planification principale de l’Exercice "African Lion 2024", a indiqué lundi l’État-major Général des Forces armées royales (FAR) dans un communiqué.

En plus des représentants des FAR et des Forces Armées des États-Unis d’Amérique, une dizaine de pays partenaires participent aux travaux de planification de la 20ème édition de l’exercice African Lion, précise le communiqué.

Cette réunion permet aux planificateurs d’arrêter les modalités de déroulement des différentes activités de l’exercice "African Lion 2024", a souligné la même source, faisant savoir que ces activités engloberont des formations portant sur plusieurs domaines opérationnels, un exercice de planification destiné aux cadres d’États-majors, des manœuvres interarmes et interarmées, des actions civilo-militaires ainsi que des exercices de décontamination NRBC (Nucléaire, Radiologique, Biologique et Chimique).

Prévu du 20 au 31 mai 2024 dans les régions d’Agadir, Tan-Tan, Mehbes, Tata, Kénitra, Ben Guérir et Tifnit, l’exercice "African Lion 2024" vise le développement de l’interopérabilité opérationnelle, technique et procédurale entre les FAR et les forces des pays participants ainsi que l’entraînement sur la planification et la conduite des opérations.

"African Lion", l’exercice multinational le plus important sur le Continent africain, dont l’objectif est de promouvoir la paix et la sécurité dans la région, fêtera cette année son 20ème anniversaire, "signe de solidité et pérennité des relations qui lient les Forces Armées Royales et leurs homologues américaines", conclut le communiqué.

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African Lion 2024: Planning continues as Morocco hosts second multinational planning event
(Photo Credit: Capt. Billy Lacroix)
8 - 10 minutes
African Lion 2024: Planning continues as Morocco hosts second multinational planning event
Planners attending African Lion 2024 mid planning event at Agadir, Morocco, receive a welcome brief, January 29, 2024. 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of AFRICOM’s premier and largest annual combined, joint exercise African Lion. This year’s exercise will take place April 19 through May 31 and is hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia with more than 7,100 participants from over twenty nations, including contingents from NATO. African Lion 24 will focus on enhancing readiness between the U.S. and partner nation forces. (Courtesy Photo) VIEW ORIGINAL

AGADIR, Morocco – The Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, a joint planning team from the United States alongside planners from 13 different nations met to conduct the main planning event for exercise African Lion 2024, here, Jan. 29 – Feb. 03, 2024.

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of AFRICOM’s premier and largest annual combined, joint exercise African Lion. This year’s exercise will take place April 19 through May 31 and is hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia with more than 7,100 participants from over twenty nations, including contingents from NATO. African Lion 24 will focus on enhancing readiness between the U.S. and partner nation forces.

This multi-component, multinational exercise will showcase a full array of capabilities in the land, air, maritime, and cyberspace domains including HIMARs-HIRAIN employment, airborne operations, medical treatment missions and more, with the goal to strengthen interoperability among participants and showcase the ability to establish operational readiness.

"There is a vast level of cooperation and shared understanding between the US and our African Partners that makes this exercise successful every year," said US Army Col. Ranjini Danaraj, the Director of Operations for SETAF-AF. "With such a diverse group of nations, it is important that the planning process is deliberate and comprehensive to ensure the training meets our units' and partner's training objectives," said Danaraj.

Since its inception in 2004, African Lion has continued to grow in size and scope. Reflecting the growth over previous years, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia each hosted field training exercises at military installations within their respective countries in 2023. This year, they will again host expanded training which incorporates host nation forces and pan-African partners, training alongside joint U.S. personnel including soldiers from the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade. Additionally, Humanitarian Civic Assistance missions will feature a combination of medical, dental and veterinary assistance and exchanges across Morocco, Ghana and Senegal.

"Our goal here is to ensure that we are successfully setting the stage to have over 7,000 participants engage in the most realistic and challenging training in North and West Africa." said Danaraj. The efforts made during this event demonstrate our long-standing partnership with all the nations involved in this exercise."
African Lion 2024: Planning continues as Morocco hosts second multinational planning event
Planners attending African Lion 2024 mid planning event at Southern Zone Headquarters, Agadir, Morocco, receive a welcome brief, January 29, 2024. 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of AFRICOM’s premier and largest annual combined, joint exercise African Lion. This year’s exercise will take place April 19 through May 31 and is hosted across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia with more than 7,100 participants from over twenty nations, including contingents from NATO. African Lion 24 will focus on enhancing readiness between the U.S. and partner nation forces. (Courtesy Photo) (Photo Credit: Capt. Billy Lacroix) VIEW ORIGINAL

With a little more than three months remaining before the exercise starts, planners from all participating nations assembled after a series of remote and virtual engagements, as well as in-person coordination in all four host countries. These meetings help coordinate the details of multinational field training and live-fire events, but also the incredible logistical and administrative support necessary to host an exercise of this scale and geographical dispersion.

"We are thankful for the partnership and cooperation we have with Morocco and all the partner nations involved in this exercise." said US Army Maj. Matthew James, the lead planner for Exercise African Lion. "Every year, these planning events allow our partnership to become stronger by mutually sharing our knowledge and experiences. We are looking forward to a successful African Lion 24 this summer." said James.

One highlight of this year’s exercise will be a rapid deployment of a U.S. HIMARS rocket system by a U.S. Marine Forces Reserve battery into Morocco followed by a combined live-fire demonstration at the landing zone and rapid redeployment of the system to a follow-on location for further training.

"This exercise allows the US Marine Corps Reserve to showcase its lethality and readiness by activating and deploying a unit from the continental United States all the way to Morocco," said US Marine Maj. Alistair Howard, lead planner for US Marine Forces Europe and Africa. "With the assistance and support of our Moroccan partners, bringing in the HIMARS launchers allows us to seamlessly integrate with the US Navy, US Air Force, and Moroccan Air Force." said Howard.

Further demonstrating contributions of the Guard and Reserve forces, units from multiple U.S. states will be participating across the exercise. As part of a long-standing State Partnership Program in Morocco, the Utah National Guard will support a humanitarian medial mission, an airborne operation and contribute to the large command post exercise in Morocco. Additionally, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Maryland, North Dakota, Vermont and Virginia are all contributing forces across the different nations.

The State Partnership Program is designed to pair U.S. state National Guard programs with countries across Africa to execute bilateral events, including military and civilian engagements, to ultimately increase partner capacity and capability. These efforts are in support of US Africa Command’s, to promote regional stability in Africa.

"Multinational exercises like African Lion allow us to work shoulder to shoulder with multiple international partners and be part of a unique multinational force," said US Army Lt. Col. Frank Engle, commander of the New York Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry. “Our soldier's will be spread across North and West Africa, and we relish the opportunity to demonstrate our proficiency on the continent," said Engle.

About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe & Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis response options in Africa and Europe.

https://www.army.mil/article/273443/african_lion_2024_planning_continues_as_morocco_hosts_second_multinational_planning_event

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700 New York Army National Guard Soldiers heading to North Africa
3 - 4 minutes

LATHAM, NEW YORK -- Seven hundred New York Army National Guard Soldiers will take part a multi-national training exercise in Tunisia and Morocco in May.

The bulk of the New York National Guard Soldiers involved in the exercise are part of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment and will be training in Morocco in the second half of the month.

The regiment is headquartered in Utica and has elements in Geneseo, Morrisonville, Ithaca, and Glenville.

The 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery, will deploy 120 Soldiers with a battery of 105 millimeter M114A1 howitzers, based at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in New Windsor, to Tunisia in early May.

The exercise, dubbed African Lion, will be the largest U.S. military training event conducted on the African continent. Over 8,100 military personnel from 27 counties, and NATO will participate in training events in Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, and Senegal.

"Multinational exercises like African Lion allow us to work shoulder to shoulder with multiple international partners and be part of a unique multinational force," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Frank Engle, the commander of the 108th Infantry.

"We relish the opportunity to demonstrate our proficiency on the continent," he said.

Engle's battalion will take part in operations in Morocco, along with soldiers from the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team headquarters based in Syracuse, the 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion from Buffalo, and the 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery. The 258th Field Artillery is headquartered in Jamaica, Queens, but is currently operating out of Camp Smith, near Peekskill, while the armory is being rebuilt.

The 108th Infantry will fire Tube-launched, Optically tracked, wire-guided missiles, known as TOWs, and Javelin anti-tank missiles during the training.

African Lion 2024 is the 20th anniversary of a training exercise that initially involved just the U.S. Marine Corps and the Moroccan military.

The exercise, coordinated by U.S. Africa Command, is designed to enhance regional cooperation and security in North and West Africa. It is an opportunity to conduct realistic, dynamic, and collaborative training to strengthen interoperability and build readiness, according to the command website.

The New York National Guard Soldiers will be taking part in live fire exercises as part of drills involving naval gunfire and even B-52 bombing missions in Morocco.

"This will be easily the biggest thing I've ever seen," Engle said.

National Guard units from Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, North Dakota, Vermont and Virginia will also take part in the training, alongside U.S. active duty forces, including the U.S. Army and Air Force Reserve and a large cohort of allied and partner nations.

Humanitarian assistance visits by military doctors and dentists in local villages will also be part of the exercise in Morocco.

Tunisian and US armies conduct a live-fire exercise using the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) at the Ben Ghilouf training area as part of “African Lion” 2024 pic.twitter.com/NOha024gsJ

— Mourad TN (@MouradTN216) May 10, 2024

https://www.mapexpress.ma/actualite/societe-et-regions/african-lion-2024-du-20-au-31-mai-benguerir-agadir-tan-tan-akka-tifnit-communique/

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African Lion 2024, du 20 au 31 mai à Benguérir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Akka et Tifnit (communiqué) | MAP Express
2 - 3 minutes

African Lion 2024, du 20 au 31 mai à Benguérir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Akka et Tifnit (communiqué)

samedi, 11 mai, 2024 à 15:19

Rabat – Sur Hautes Instructions de Sa Majesté le Roi, Chef Suprême et Chef d’État-major Général des Forces Armées Royales (FAR), l’exercice “African Lion 2024” sera conjointement conduit, pour la vingtième fois, par les FAR et leurs homologues américaines, du 20 au 31 mai au niveau de Benguérir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Akka et Tifnit, indique l’État-major Général des FAR dans un communiqué.

Environ 7000 éléments des forces armées provenant d’une vingtaine de pays en plus de l’Organisation du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord (OTAN) prendront part, au Maroc, aux côtés des Forces Armées Royales et des Forces armées américaines, à ces manœuvres militaires d’envergure, précise la même source.

L’exercice “African Lion 2024” comporte plusieurs activités dont des exercices tactiques, terrestres, maritimes et aériens, combinés, de jour et de nuit, un exercice des forces spéciales, des opérations aéroportées, ainsi qu’un exercice de planification opérationnelle pour les cadres des États-majors de la “Task Force”, poursuit le communiqué.

Cette vingtième édition comprend également un cycle de formations académiques, organisé en préparation à l’exercice, des entraînements de lutte contre les armes de destruction massive et un ensemble de prestations médico-chirurgicales et sociales fournies au profit de la population de la région d’Akka par un Hôpital militaire de campagne, relève la même source.

Contribuant au renforcement de l’interopérabilité opérationnelle, technique et procédurale, entre les armées participantes, l’exercice “African Lion 2024”, le plus grand exercice conduit en Afrique, reste un rendez-vous incontournable où se côtoient les cadres militaires pour échanger les procédures et les expériences notamment en matière de formation et d’entraînement interarmées combiné, souligne le communiqué.

Cette vingtième édition témoigne de la pérennité qui caractérise la coopération entre les Forces Armées Royales et les Forces Armées Américaines à l’image des liens historiques et solides qui lient les deux pays, conclut l’État-major Général des FAR.

African Lion 2024 a déja débuté en Tunisie

Comme toujours

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AH-64 Apaches arrive in Agadir for African Lion 24 exercise

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U.S. and Moroccan armed forces combine for pallet airlift build

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Georgia National Guard Soldiers teach defensive cyber ops at African Lion 2024

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U.S. Soldiers train Moroccan partners in cyber operations

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African Lion 24 exercises Air Force’s wings

A team representing the total force of U.S. Air Force Airmen joined the Royal Moroccan Air Force, Allied and partner nation military representatives, and other U.S. service members in Morocco for exercise African Lion 2024 (AL24), May 17, 2024.

AL24 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest premier joint annual exercise, led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). This year’s event marks a significant milestone as SETAF-AF celebrates the 20th anniversary of the African Lion exercise series.

U.S. Air Force Reserve Airmen from the 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, the 349th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Travis Air Force Base in California; the 36th Aerial Port Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington; joined active duty Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, based in Germany; the 4th Combat Training Squadron, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria-Hohenfels in Germany; and Air National Guard Airmen from the 109th Air Control Squadron, Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base in Utah. Together, this total force of airmen began training with their Moroccan counterparts to hone airdrop and airlift tactics, as well as exercise close air support and aeromedical evacuation capabilities to enhance interoperability.

In total, more than 1,000 military personnel from both the U.S. and Morocco are scheduled to participate in AL24 alongside 8,000 multinational service members from 27 countries and contingents from NATO.

“This exercise is an incredible opportunity for all of us to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners as we develop essential aviation capacity and strengthen regional cooperation,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bradley Ross, African Lion Air Force element commander. “Together, we’re building a team capable of ensuring Africa’s future safety, security and prosperity.”

U.S. Air Force C-130Hs from the 302nd AW are scheduled to conduct a joint forcible entry exercise as well as cargo drop operations on a drop zone at Ben Guerir Air Base, Morocco. Airborne insertions allow aircrew to sharpen vital airdrop skills as they rapidly and safely drop the maximum number of personnel at a specific location. Additionally, the C-130s will fly a variety of day and night missions throughout the two-week exercise to validate 24-hour operation capabilities.

In addition, joint terminal attack controllers (JTACs) are training and learning alongside Moroccan JTACs in the combined and joint exercises to direct fire support from U.S. Navy and Air Force assets in Tan Tan, Morocco.

Aeromedical personnel from a variety of nations will also be taking their skills to the next level by integrating a variety of tests, scenarios and opportunities designed to enhance regional cooperation and integration between the nations.

The exercise runs until May 31 in Morocco, Ghana and Senegal.

Pallets of Meals, Ready-to-Eat (MREs), flown in from the Morocco spoke of African Lion 2024 (AL24) on a Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (Forces Armées Royales, FAR) C-130, arrive at Tamale Air Force Base, Ghana, May 15, 2024. The arrival of the MREs highlights the international partnership and logistical coordination of the exercise. AL24 marks the 20th anniversary of U.S. Africa Command’s premier joint exercise led by SETAF-AF, running from April 19 to May 31 across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal, and Tunisia, with over 8,100 participants from 27 nations and NATO contingents.

Paratroopers with the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, Utah National Guard, perform a static line jump from the open ramp of a C-130 Hercules during a combined Airborne operation with the 2e Brigade d’infanterie Parachutiste (2e BIP), Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, near Ben Guerir, Morocco, during African Lion 2024 (AL24), May 20, 2024. AL24 marks the 20th anniversary of U.S. Africa Command’s premier joint exercise led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), running from April 19 to May 31 across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia, with over 8,100 participants from 27 nations and NATO contingents. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Free)