Photo By 1st Lt. Tucker Chase | Multinational service members gather for African Lion 26 presentations during the...... read more read more
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AGADIR, Morocco – U.S. Africa Command's largest annual joint exercise, African Lion 26, officially begins today. The exercise is hosted across four nations including Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. The activities in Morocco will include approximately 5,000 personnel from over 40 countries and more than 30 U.S.-based industry partners validating future warfare capabilities across multiple locations within the country from 27 April to May 8, 2026.
Executed by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the event is designed to strengthen the collective security capabilities of the United States, African nations and global allies. The training stress-tests the U.S. joint force and partner nations’ ability to execute rapid deployments and operate under multi-domain threat conditions.
“African Lion 26 reflects our continued bilateral commitment to regional security and stability,” said Duke Buchan III, U.S. Ambassador to Morocco. “As our nations celebrate 250 years of friendship, this enduring diplomatic and military partnership continues to build capable, interoperable forces and strengthen security across the region.”
The exercise features a comprehensive suite of training events designed to test the full spectrum of military operations.
Training events include multinational academics, command field exercise, combined armed live-fire exercises, chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives training, special operations training, air and maritime operations, and humanitarian civic assistance.
The exercise integrates more than 30 U.S.-based vendors testing emerging capabilities across mission command, deep attack, defense-in-depth and counter-attack systems. Technologies validated include autonomous systems, artificial intelligence-enabled command and control, counter-unmanned aircraft systems, and advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.
“African Lion 26 is a critical demonstration of peace through strength in action,” said U.S. Air Force General Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command. “We are working to prevent Islamic terrorists in Africa from using regional safe heavens to strike the U.S. Homeland, and empowering allies and partners to lead efforts to degrade and destroy these organizations.”
The exercise underscores the enduring U.S. commitment to its African partners, reinforcing the necessary coalition network required to deter regional threats.
Key supporting activities throughout the exercise demonstrate the breadth of U.S.-Morocco military cooperation.
The Utah National Guard will conduct humanitarian civic assistance treating an estimated 20,000 patients over 11 days through the State Partnership Program. The Utah National Guard has maintained a State Partnership Program with Morocco since 2003.
The exercise validates decision dominance by leveraging artificial intelligence-enabled tools across operational targeting and coalition command to accelerate the sensor-to-shooter cycle. The mission partner environment network bridges classified and unclassified data systems, ensuring U.S., NATO and Moroccan forces share a common operating picture.
African Lion 26 supports U.S. Africa Command's objectives of empowering African partners to achieve operational independence and building the coalition networks necessary to counter transnational threats.
| Date Taken: | 04.19.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.27.2026 11:55 |
| Story ID: | 563292 |
| Location: | AGADIR, MA |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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