African Lion 2025: Enhancing military cooperation through strategic exercises

A joint Moroccan-American WMD defense exercise unfolded Tuesday at Agadir’s military port as part of the ongoing African Lion 2025, which is being executed under the directives of King Mohammed VI, the Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces. This 21st edition of the multinational military exercise, taking place from May 12 to 23, combines military training with humanitarian initiatives across six Moroccan regions.

The counter-WMD exercise focused on critical areas such as reconnaissance operations, the neutralization of improvised weapons of mass destruction, radiological dispersal devices, and CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear) decontamination. The aim was to bolster the operational capabilities of the Royal Armed Forces’ Rescue and Salvage Unit, ensuring readiness to respond effectively to crises involving chemical and explosive threats.

“Using TacSRT, we demonstrated how to fuse fully shareable operational planning products, change detection, and AI-analyzed social media feeds to support timely decision-making,” stated Col. Galen Ojala, Director of Operations for SPACEFOREUR-AF.

The exercise commenced with the securing of Agadir port, where Moroccan and Ghanaian special forces conducted a maritime assault on a suspicious vessel believed to be transporting WMD materials. Their inspection uncovered clandestine laboratories and chemical agent containers.

Teams specializing in CBRN and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) deployed drones and advanced equipment to assess and neutralize potential threats. Concurrently, Royal Navy divers inspected the hull of the vessel for hidden explosive devices, while experts from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency provided technical reconnaissance and guidance on managing chemical agents.

The USS CBRN team coordinated decontamination operations, triage, and medical care, facilitating the evacuation of victims for necessary treatment.

The exercise was attended by Major General Mohammed Benlouali, Chief of Staff of the Southern Zone, and Brigadier General Daniel Cederman, Deputy Commanding General-Reserve of the US Army Southern European Task Force-Africa. This year, the US Space Forces Europe – Space Forces Africa significantly increased their support, offering nine days of academic instruction compared to just one day in previous exercises. Over 30 hours of Space-Electronic Warfare lessons were delivered to 30 Moroccan Royal Armed Forces students.

In addition to combat training, the Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Medical Group established a humanitarian civic assistance program in the rural town of Anzi. Operating from a fully functional field hospital, US military dentists provided essential care to local Moroccans, many of whom face long journeys to access medical services. “The care we’re providing is mostly fillings and extractions,” noted US Air Force Maj. Kyle Sansom. “It may seem simple, but to someone in pain, it can be life-changing.”

African Lion 2025, which began on May 12 and runs until May 23, includes exercises in Agadir, Tan-Tan, Tiznit, Kenitra, Benguerir, and Tifnit. This edition unites 41 countries and approximately 10,000 US service members, emphasizing integrated training in airdrop, airlift, close air support, aeromedical evacuation, and advanced space and electronic warfare operations across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia.

The overarching goal of these exercises is to strengthen military cooperation between Morocco and the United States, enhancing interoperability and intervention capabilities in a multinational context, ultimately contributing to regional security, peace, and stability.