African Lion kicks off with training push on drones cyber and satellites

More than 400 multinational personnel are gathered this week inside a headquarters building in Agadir, completing 22 intensive academic courses on drones, satellite operations, electronic warfare and cybersecurity, according to a U.S. military statement.

The academic phase of African Lion is running from April 20 to May 1 at Morocco’s Southern Zone Headquarters in Agadir, accounting for the bulk of the exercise before field and simulation drills begin in a programme that runs until May 8 across Morocco, Ghana, Senegal and Tunisia, mobilising more than 5,600 troops from over 40 countries.

The program spans both basic instruction and advanced operational planning, aimed at preparing personnel at all levels to contribute to mission execution.

Courses are divided between operator training, focused on conducting unmanned systems missions and basic flight procedures, and planning modules designed for officers and non-commissioned officers to integrate those systems into daily operations.

“The academic component is a fundamental pillar of training and subsequent operations,” said U.S. Marine Corps Major Keefe Murtaugh, adding that the programme is designed to “enhance technical expertise, accelerate decision-making and improve operational effectiveness” in modern conflicts.

Drone training forms a central pillar of the curriculum, but the scope extends into newer domains. Advanced modules include space operations, with participants working on integrating satellite capabilities into battlefield command, as well as expanded training in electronic warfare and the electromagnetic environment.

Murtaugh said this year’s programme includes an advanced course on electronic warfare and space integration, where participants build on previous training to expand the use of satellite-linked operations, “something we have not done before.”

U.S. officials said the inclusion of these domains reflects growing emphasis on contested environments where signal disruption, spectrum control and space-based capabilities play an increasing role in military planning.

Cyber operations are also a core component of the training. U.S. Army First Lieutenant Mason Elizondo said partner forces are being trained to detect threats and apply digital security practices across “Windows, Linux and cloud environments,” as part of efforts to strengthen network resilience.

“This training allows partner forces to better position themselves to hunt threats and follow best practices in digital security,” he said.

Elizondo added that the multinational setting facilitates mutual learning. “We not only transfer knowledge to them, but we also acquire it from them,” he said, noting the level of expertise among partner forces.

1st Sgt. Travis Herman, of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force Africa, said joint training continues to reinforce common operational goals, adding that “we are more similar than we are different… we all want the same thing for our soldiers, which is readiness.”

African Lion, led by U.S. Africa Command, remains the largest U.S. military exercise on the continent, combining academic instruction, simulation and field manoeuvres as part of a broader effort to strengthen interoperability and build partner capacity.