New capabilities on horizon for African Lion 2026

AGADIR, Morocco - A multinational team of planners from military, government and industry sectors convened with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces (FAR) in Agadir, Morocco, from Dec. 8-12, 2025, for the mid planning event (MPE) for African Lion 2026 (AL26).

The week-long event allowed this diverse group of planners to synchronize and refine objectives. A central focus for AL26 will be a challenging command field exercise designed to validate the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa's (SETAF-AF) ability to lead a Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF). The exercise will test the task force's capacity to integrate U.S. forces with those from Morocco and other participating nations, a critical step in promoting regional security.

For AL26 in Morocco, planners are exploring the introduction of a significant new element: a dynamic, multi-vendor experimentation and innovation hub.

"AL26 has added several new programs to incorporate future warfare technology and innovation to include experimentation combined into a live multinational joint operations center," said Seth Henderson, lead AL26 planner, SETAF-AF.

Key to this effort was the direct involvement of industry partners during the planning event.

Industry representatives worked alongside multinational planners to align technical capabilities with training scenarios, focusing on integrating AI and other innovative technologies from the soldier in the field to the command headquarters. The exercise will challenge participants to adapt and counter sophisticated threats in an austere environment.

"Our charge from day one was to bring in the core technologies we need to test, identify those that are best in class, and move them from experimentation to procurement to fielding as quickly as possible to counter the threats we're facing not only in Europe but globally," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Nick Dubaz, chief of the TRIAD Innovation Cell, SETAF-AF.

The MPE reaffirmed the enduring strategic partnership between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Morocco, a cornerstone of the African Lion exercise series for nearly two decades. The event culminated in the official signing of the planning minutes between leaders, solidifying the shared commitment to the exercise.

"More than 40,000 soldiers participated in the last five editions of this exercise, thus testifying to the commitment of our partners and the importance of this annual meeting, which is the largest military event in Africa," said one of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces planning representatives.

Collaboration throughout the week brought together over 250 participants to finalize logistics and scenarios for thousands of personnel who will participate in AL26 this spring.

This successful planning event marks a critical milestone, moving participants one step closer to the final planning and execution of African Lion 2026, an event that will showcase strength and commitment to a secure and stable Africa.

About African Lion

African Lion is U.S. Africa Command's largest annual multinational exercise. The joint, all-domain training, executed by SETAF-AF, is designed to strengthen interoperability among participating nations, enhance readiness and improve the collective ability to respond to crises and contingencies in the region.

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About SETAF-AF

SETAF-AF is the U.S. Army's globally responsive, forward-deployed, Joint Task Force-headquarters for three combatant commands (U.S. Africa, U.S. European and U.S. Central Commands). Operating across Europe and Africa, SETAF-AF strengthens partner-led security, validates crisis response options and advances Army transformation. The unique posture across multiple continents allows the command to test emerging technologies, conduct scalable operations, and ensure the Army is ready to fight tonight and tomorrow.

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