The UK Armed Forces have played a key role in two major US-led military exercises in East Africa, aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region, according to a press release from the British High Commission in Nairobi.
The exercises—Justified Accord and Cutlass Express—are reaching their climax this week, involving over 2,000 personnel from 29 countries, including 22 African nations. The UK is one of the largest contributors to the training, which is designed to enhance multinational military cooperation and improve responses to security threats.
According to the UK government, Justified Accord is a land-based military exercise taking place between 10–21 February across Djibouti, Kenya, and Tanzania. The UK’s involvement includes B Company 3 RIFLES, which has been training alongside forces from the US 173rd Airborne Brigade, the Kenya Army, the Kenyan Marines, the Kenya Air Force, as well as infantry platoons from Tanzania and Somalia.
The drills, which began with table-top exercises before expanding into full-scale live operations, include coordinating ground attacks, calling in air support, urban warfare, drone operations, building clearance, and medical evacuations. The aim is to improve coordination between allied forces in preparation for real-world security challenges in the region.
Cutlass Express, running simultaneously, is a naval warfare exercise focused on boarding and securing vessels at high speed. Taking place primarily in Mauritius, Seychelles, and Tanzania, the exercise simulates escalating challenges, from boarding small boats and dhows to taking control of larger vessels under hostile conditions.
Both exercises are part of long-standing military cooperation efforts between the UK, US, and African partners. According to the British High Commission, Exercise Cutlass Express is now in its 15th iteration, while Justified Accord has taken place in various forms since 1998. More joint exercises with African forces are planned for later in 2025.
According to the press release, these exercises support the African Union’s security priorities by preparing forces for United Nations and African Union missions in Africa. They also reinforce the UK’s broader security commitments across the continent, including the creation of Kenya’s first-ever marine force and special forces training with Nigeria and Ghana.
Olly Bryant, Defence Attaché at the British High Commission Nairobi, emphasised the importance of these long-term partnerships, stating:
“The UK is a long-term partner, helping to deliver long-term stability and security across East Africa, and we are proud to be working with our allies on delivering high-capacity and high-quality activity. We are also proud of our security partnerships with our partners across Africa, which protect our people, prosperity and shared interests – we go far when we go together.”
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That photo doesn’t look much like the parts of Kenya I’ve deployed too… looks more like a wood block on a British Army training area.
In which case: Why the Green Furniture? Surely 11 Brigade gets at least A3’s?
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Is the UK going to scale back on participation in exercises alongside the USA now the great Orange Messiah has announced no further exercises in Europe for US forces?
America has rapidly become the world’s third most dangerous country, possibly the number 1 most dangerous under Trump.
Found some more minerals have they?
Why is the US interested in having a presence in Africa bit is now disinterested in Europe?
In fairness the US isn’t really interested in having a footprint in Africa, the deployments it does have are relatively small scale, and usually either SFAB or Special Forces oriented. I suspect the main reason there isn’t much noise about it from the White House is because it’s easy to whip up the MAGA crowd by complaining about Europe, but harder to do so with Africa.
Africa is a really important place for the UK to be all the other major powers are there for a very good reason.. raw materials, it may not be the most ethical driver but it’s profoundly important…any war involving the major powers such as a Sino US war or a European Russo war will also end up being played out in Africa and the western Indian Ocean region.. it’s why even though we need to pivot to European defence we still need very good expeditionary forces for Africa and the Indian Ocean.
And yet the British footprint in Africa is the BATUK permanent staff, 1 Ranger Battalion and 1 SFA Battalion, which might be withdrawn depending on how Recce Strike works in practice.
Dern, is IMATT Sierra Leone still going?
Recce Strike?
I thought that a Dern orbat chart thing.
There’s a real possibility of 11 being for 1 what 1 is for 3?
Nope. Not a me thing. Peruse Soldier Magazine for a bit and you’ll see it’s being reported in there, but confusingly “Recce Strike” is not the same as “Deep Strike Recce.” Very early days for their CONOPS but it’s moving away from 1 UK Div into the Land Special Operations Force (or adjacent to it, the interplay between LSOF, Field Army Troops and CFA is weird), but for sure they won’t be RA.
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