More than 4,500 military personnel from over 30 nations have begun exercise African Lion 2026, the largest annual joint military exercise on the African continent, running from 20 April to 8 May across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, according to US Air Forces in Europe.
Led by US Africa Command and executed by US Army Southern European Task Force, Africa, the exercise brings together active duty, reserve and National Guard forces alongside allied and partner nation militaries for training operations spanning multiple domains. Around 100 US Air Force personnel drawn from active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units are participating, reflecting what the service describes as its Total Force integration approach.
US Air Force Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, USAFE-AFAFRICA commander, said “African Lion showcases the dynamic capabilities of our Total Force Airmen” and described the exercise as “a critical opportunity to enhance readiness and our ability to operate seamlessly with our African and international partners in a complex, multi-domain environment.”
Air Force Reserve participating units include the 88th Aerial Port Squadron and the 514th Force Support Squadron, with the 88th APS working alongside the US Marine Corps’ 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company and the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to complete training objectives and execute exercise support operations. Air National Guard units from multiple states are also scheduled to participate, including the 123rd Air Control Squadron, 165th Air Support Operations Squadron and 235th Combat Air Operations Squadron in Morocco, with the 124th Air Support Operations Squadron and 243rd Combat Air Operations Squadron training in Tunisia.
Active duty participation includes the 1st Combat Communications Squadron from Ramstein Air Base, which will support integrated operations training and information and data sharing via Link-16 with Morocco, and the 435th Contingency Response Support Squadron, which will be in Tunisia for a command post exercise. Among the training activities already underway, US Marines have been sharing knowledge with Tunisian special forces on how to emplace, monitor and recover ground sensors in daylight and low-light conditions, while Wyoming Air National Guard personnel have conducted air rigging training with Tunisian forces at Bizerte-Sidi Ahmed Air Base.
The exercise is designed to strengthen interoperability among participants including NATO allies, and according to AFRICOM will test capabilities across the land, air, maritime, space and cyberspace domains. Through the joint training, the US Air Force aims to strengthen its own readiness while building the capability of partner nations to respond to regional threats and promote stability across the continent.
African Lion is held annually and is AFRICOM’s flagship exercise, bringing together a broad coalition of nations each year for combined training across multiple African host nations.
