Rabat – The US-led joint military exercise kicked off on June 7 in Morocco. Since the start of the diverse, multinational military exercises, service members of the US military and Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) have shared techniques across all military disciplines including land, sea, and air stratagem.
This photo essay features a compilation of photos from on-the-ground Moroccan media sources. African Lion exercises span from Morocco’s Kenitra Air Base of the north, down to the desert firing ranges of Tan Tan and Mahbes.
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
US service members of the US Air Force’s (USAF) 86th Airlift Wing arriving at Kenitra Air Base. According to a USAF press release, “the C-130 crews will train alongside their Moroccan counterparts to hone critical airdrop, airlift, and aeromedical evacuation capabilities while enhancing interoperability with the Moroccans.”
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
USAF Captain Sarah Miller of the 86th Airlift Wing leads a briefing on mission procedures in front of US and Moroccan airmen. “The C-130s will fly a variety of day and night missions throughout the two-week exercise,” states the USAF press release.
Ground operations took place simultaneously in Morocco’s southern region.
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
FAR senior military officials welcome US Lt. General Roger Cloutier to Mahbes Airfield in Morocco’s southernmost territory. The airfield lies just 50 kilometers from the Algerian border.
U.S Special Forces operatives will train alongside the FAR’s ground forces to practice different combat maneuvers including fast rope training and live-fire small arms training.
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
Moroccan ground forces operate a vehicle-mounted MK-19 grenade launcher, commonly used to combat lightly armored vehicles (LAV) and low-flying rotary aircraft. Morocco’s FAR has a highly-equipped ground force arsenal consisting primarily of American M60 Patton tanks and the infamous M1 Abrams battle tank.
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
US soldiers from the Texas National Guard participate in a night fire range session with their FAR counterparts. In the image, glowing red tracer rounds can be seen ricocheting off of the steel targets down range.
Tracer rounds are commonly used in night operations to increase small arms accuracy. Rather than use a full magazine of tracer rounds, infantrymen often stagger the rounds to account for at least 20% of a magazine’s bullet capacity.
Photo: DVIDS “The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”
Additionally, both militaries established a field hospital in the southern Moroccan town of Tafraoute. Members of the USAF’s 113th Medical Group worked alongside FAR medical personnel to administer medical aid and routine check-ups to residents of the area.
The African Lion 2021 exercises will conclude June 18 and feature service members from 10 countries such as Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Senegal, and Tunisia.
