African Lion exercise 2026 features AI, drones and airborne operations

Military maneuvers under African Lion 2026,the largest annual joint exercise led by the U.S. Africa Command,have entered a more operational phase,featuring paratrooper deployments,explosive ordnance disposal training and tests of autonomous systems powered by artificial intelligence,participating forces said.

At the Benguerir training area in central Morocco,airborne operations brought together units from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR),the U.S. Army and partner countries.

The drills included parachute jumps by troops,air drops of light and heavy equipment,as well as ground exercises focused on post‑landing movement and unit regrouping.

“The participants carried out airborne missions,including personnel parachute jumps and the delivery of light and heavy equipment,” the Moroccan armed forces said in a statement.

The exercises aim to strengthen operational readiness and improve interoperability among Moroccan,U.S. and partner forces operating in complex environments.

Training also focused on explosive ordnance disposal (EOD),with military engineering units conducting field exercises on mine‑clearance risks. According to the FAR,the drills employed advanced threat‑detection techniques and simulated real‑world operational responses.

Further south,the Cap Draa site was used as a multi‑domain training and experimentation hub,where troops tested AI‑guided autonomous platforms,remote‑controlled systems and emerging military technologies.

These were evaluated in simulated attack,defense and mission‑command scenarios.

U.S. Army personnel participating in the exercise conducted live‑fire drills involving autonomous target vehicles,while drone operators tested tactical unmanned aerial systems to improve targeting and decision‑making timelines. The U.S. command said the experiments helped speed up target detection,shorten decision cycles and provide cost‑effective combat solutions tailored to partner needs.

African Lion is the largest joint exercise conducted annually by U.S. Africa Command,with overall coordination led by the Southern European Task Force,Africa (SETAF‑AF). The 2026 edition runs from April 20 to May 8 and is hosted by Morocco,Ghana,Senegal and Tunisia.

More than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from over 40 countries are taking part in this year’s drills,which aim to enhance regional security cooperation,operational integration and readiness across Africa.