African Lion 2023: Moroccan-US Airdrop maneuvers
As part of the 19th iteration of the “African Lion” exercise, aircraft from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the US Armed Forces performed airdrop maneuvers at the Benguerir military installation on Saturday.
Aircraft from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the US Armed Forces carried out a series of mass airdrop operations on the drop zone after the airdrop of a batch of military equipment that had been conditioned by Moroccan and American executives at the Kenitra air base, with the execution, once the aircraft had landed, of a ground maneuver intended to carry out the assigned mission.
In order to strengthen operational interoperability and encourage joint action, paratroopers from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and the US Armed Forces conducted an airdrop exercise as part of the 19th iteration of the “African Lion” exercise, according to Major Mohamed El Kouiti of the 2nd Parachute Infantry Brigade at the Benguerir military base.
El Kouiti added that during this collaborative airdrop operation, military officers from both armies engaged in a tactical drill to show off their proficiency in a variety of cooperative exercises.
The combined joint operation, which included 240 Moroccan and American paratroopers, provided the training, according to Lieutenant-Colonel John Staeheli, Battalion Commander of U.S. Forces Africa’s Southern Europe Task Force (SETAF). He said that in the modern battlefield, “we need to fight and win” together.
He reaffirmed that the US Army is dedicated to “maintaining strong relationships with our allies and partners” and mentioned Morocco as one of our oldest and closest allies. He continued, “Friendship between the two nations dates back to the very proclamation of the United States.”
In a statement, Staeheli stressed that the African Lion exercise is an example of the long-standing security partnership between the United States of America and Morocco. He also stated that he is more certain than ever that “we are stronger when we are together.”
The primary goals of these exercises are to enhance the force projection capabilities of the Royal Armed Forces and the US Forces by coordinating tactical, technical, and logistical operations from planning to execution in the field.
This entails, among other things, establishing a joint operational center to keep track of the different circumstances and airborne maneuvers, combining efforts, especially in terms of air and medical logistics, performing combined load conditioning and splitting the airborne echelon and its complement, and coordinating strategies for grounding and maneuvering on the ground.
The Royal Armed Forces and the U.S. Armed Forces jointly organize the exercise “African Lion” every year.
“African Lion 2023,” which runs through June 16 in seven regions of Morocco, including Agadir, Tan-Tan, Mehbes, Tiznit, Kénitra, Benguérir, and Tifnit, continues to be an annual event that strengthens military cooperation between Morocco and the United States and strengthens interactions between armed forces of various nations with the goal of promoting security and stability in the region.