African Lion 25: the largest multinational military exercise in Africa kicks off

VICENZA/TUNIS - African Lion 25, the largest military exercise ever organised by the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), officially began on 22 April 2025 in Tunisia. The event, which will run until 30 April in the North African country, will subsequently also involve Ghana, Morocco and Senegal from May onwards, bringing into the field more than 10,000 military personnel from more than 40 nations, including seven NATO allied nations

The exercise is guided by the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF)based in Vicenza, Italy, and aims to strengthen interoperability, operational readiness and strategic partnerships through realistic trainings in the land, air, sea, space and cyber domains.

"African Lion 25 represents AFRICOM's largest combined multinational exercise in Africa," said the Major General Andrew C. Gainey, commander of SETAF-AF. "It demonstrates the total force's ability to build strategic readiness and interoperability with our African and allied partners to be ready to deploy, fight and win in a complex multi-domain environment."

The main activities planned include field exercises, airborne and amphibious operations, special forces operations, rapid deployment of HIMARS systems (HIRAIN), humanitarian assistance and medical readiness operations. Special attention will also be paid to new operational capabilities, such as the integration of cyber defence and the deployment of the US Army's Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW).

Training, new technologies and operational skills

In Tunisia, more than 1,700 military personnel - US, Tunisian, Italian, French and Spanish - will collaborate side by side, while in parallel Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria and Senegal will participate with their own forces, highlighting their joint commitment to shared regional security objectives.

The exercise is not limited to field operations: theoretical courses on military engineering, cyber security, legal affairs, public relations techniques and operational media will be held during AL25. The aim is to consolidate familiarity with the latest technologies and specialised techniques, under the supervision of Tunisian and American instructors.

A distinctive feature of African Lion 25 is the participation of the Wyoming National Guardwho will speak with his 84th Civil Support Team as part of the State Partnership Program (SPP)which has been active with Tunisia for over 20 years. In particular, the team will train in the management of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats, thus enhancing rapid emergency response capabilities.

The programme also includes air-to-ground integration activities, training against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the deployment of advanced systems such as the HIMARS missile system. There will also be airborne operations with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, highlighting the importance of the rapid deployment capability with allied forces.

Strategic partnerships and commitment to regional stability

African Lion 25 confirms Tunisia as a key partner of the US, being one of the four major non-NATO allies in Africa. Bilateral cooperation is also reflected in the supply of advanced defence systems, such as UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, C-130 transport aircraft and Island-class patrol aircraft.

"The strong partnership between the United States and Tunisia makes events of this magnitude possible," stressed the Colonel Jörn Pung, Defence Attaché at the US Embassy in Tunis. "African Lion represents a crucial opportunity to share the burden of security responsibilities, improve military readiness and contribute to regional stability.

In addition to courses and exercises, AL25 aims to improve the ability of participating forces to respond to crises, emergencies and cross-border threats, again emphasising the collective commitment to peace through strength.

With Tunisia as the first host country, followed by Ghana, Morocco and Senegal, African Lion 25 is set to mark a turning point in international military cooperation in Africa, laying a solid foundation to tackle the security challenges of the future together.