The combined Moroccan-American exercise “African Lion 2024” wrapped up on Friday at Cap Draa (north of Tan-Tan), with air and ground military maneuvers involving units from the Royal Armed Forces and the US armed forces.
During the maneuvers, which took place in the presence of Lieutenant General Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the South Zone, and Army General Michael Langley, Commander of the United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM), military units carried out major ground maneuvers using F16 aircraft belonging to the Royal Air Force.
With artillery support, joint ground operations were also conducted against a potential enemy. These maneuvers also included the use of HIMARS missile launchers. A Puma helicopter was also used to evacuate casualties from the battlefield.
General Langley told the press after the air and ground maneuvers that Exercise African Lion is a pioneering multinational exercise that facilitates regional cooperation and partnerships between the various participants.
He added that this year is very special as it marks the 20th anniversary of the “African Lion” exercise involving Moroccan and international partners to establish constructive regional cooperation and reinforce mutual support.
He pointed out that this exercise has grown over the years since 2004, not only in terms of the number of military personnel taking part, but also by expanding the scope of maneuvers.
For his part, Colonel Major Fouad Gourani of the Royal Armed Forces underlined that the “African Lion” exercise is one of the most significant aspects of joint military cooperation between the Royal Armed Forces and the US Army, which dates back many years and reflects the distinguished relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America.
He added that this year's edition marks the 20th anniversary of this exercise, which has achieved its objectives as a basis for military cooperation in the field of training, and as an example of the distinguished relationship between the Royal Armed Forces and the US Army, marked by trust, serious commitment and efficiency in developing and strengthening common defense mechanisms and the strategic partnership between the two countries.
On an international and continental level, he said, “African Lion” is the largest military exercise on the African continent, and an opportunity for more than 20 countries working to raise their level of preparedness to face the challenges that can affect security and peace, both on a continental and international level.
In a statement to MAP, Lieutenant-Colonel Imad Idrissi, in charge of logistical support for “African Lion” operations, said the training demonstrated the importance of operational planning, particularly logistical coordination, which are considered essential elements in the success of these multinational maneuvers.
He added that the “African Lion” exercise was an opportunity to test and apply modern approaches and technologies linked to interoperability, and a means of improving the response speed of logistics support units, particularly in a joint operational framework involving several forces.
For his part, Staff Sergeant David Rodriguez, of the US forces, expressed his delight at taking part in this military exercise with his Moroccan counterparts, adding that his participation had enabled him to discover the Kingdom.
Colonel Mike Weinsman, of the US forces, said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the African Lion exercise, which began as a small exercise between Morocco and the United States and has now become the largest maneuver on the African continent.
He added that the exercise involves 27 countries from four continents.
The combined Moroccan-American exercise “African Lion 2024” was launched on May 20 at the Southern Zone Command in Agadir, and took place in several regions of the Kingdom, including Cap Draa in Tan-Tan, Benguerir, Agadir, Akka and Tafnit, with the participation of around 7,000 members of the armed forces of some 20 countries, in addition to the Royal Armed Forces and US forces, as well as military observers from 7 countries: Angola, Gabon, Zambia, Senegal, Cameroon, United Arab Emirates and France.
The program for the 20th edition of the “African Lion 2024” exercise included joint land, sea and air tactical exercises, both day and night, a Special Forces Exercise and operations for airborne forces, as well as a “Task Force” operational planning exercise.
It also included academic and counter-weapons-of-mass-destruction training, as well as a package of medical, surgical and social services provided by a military field hospital for the people of the Akka region.
The “African Lion 2024” exercise, the largest of its kind in Africa, contributes to strengthening operational, technical and procedural interoperability between the participating armies, and remains an important event where military executives meet to exchange procedures and experiences, particularly in the field of combined joint training.
This twentieth edition bears witness to the sustainability of the cooperation between the FAR and the US Armed Forces, reflecting the strong historical ties that bind the two countries.
