African Lion Maneuvers

The African Lion Maneuvers are joint military exercises held between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Morocco in the region of Tan-Tan, Morocco, which began in 2007.

The objectives of the maneuvers

• Strengthening military relations between Morocco and the United States of America.
• Enhancing the field and combat skills of the participating forces.
• Training in diverse terrains including deserts, plateaus, valleys, plains, and areas near the sea, reflecting the topography of the Greater Sahara region and the majority of Arab countries.

The executed maneuvers

The African Lion 2013

The maneuvers were canceled at the request of the Kingdom of Morocco, which were supposed to take place from April 7 to 27, 2013. This cancellation was in response to Washington's efforts to submit a draft resolution to the Security Council to expand the MINURSO mission to include human rights monitoring in the Moroccan Sahara and the Tindouf camps. However, the U.S. Embassy in Rabat announced that the maneuvers would partially proceed after reaching a settlement with the United Nations. The exercises were planned to involve 1,400 American soldiers and 900 members of the Royal Armed Forces, including peacekeeping amphibious operations, aerial resupply, and low-altitude flight exercises.

The African Lion 2023

Between May 22 and June 16, 2023, the African Lion 23 maneuvers took place in various regions of Morocco, including Agadir, Tan-Tan, Benguerir, and Tafraout, notably in the Mahbass area of the desert. Approximately 6,000 soldiers from twenty African and international countries participated, including Morocco and the United States, along with 27 observer countries. The participating military units simulated enemy engagement using combined arms tactics, supported by air units conducting sorties with F16 and B1B aircraft. Ground operations included artillery strikes to clear minefields, allowing engineering units to open passages for assault and counter-assault missions using Abrams tanks accompanied by infantry units.

The African Lion 2024

The Royal Armed Forces and the United States Armed Forces jointly organized the 20th edition of the African Lion exercise from May 20 to 31, covering Benguerir, Agadir, Tan-Tan, Aqa, and Tafraout. According to a statement from the General Command of the Royal Armed Forces, these extensive maneuvers would involve around 7,000 personnel from approximately twenty countries, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), alongside the Royal Armed Forces and their American counterparts. The activities include joint tactical land, sea, and air exercises, both day and night, special forces training, airborne operations, as well as operational planning exercises for staff officers within the Task Force."