U.S. airpower on display in African Lion 25

C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Royal Moroccan Air Force and a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules, assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, California, are staged on the flightline at Kenitra Air Base, Morocco, May 11, 2025. The arrival of the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 514th Force Support Squadron, and 30th Aerial Port Squadron marks the beginning of their support to African Lion 2025 (AL25). AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Demi M. Ebert)

U.S. airpower on display in African Lion 25

Royal Moroccan Air Force personnel, right, refuel a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, California, while a U.S. Air Force Airman, left, stands at the aircraft door at Kenitra Air Base, Morocco, May 11, 2025. African Lion 25 (AL25), the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Demi M. Ebert)

U.S. airpower on display in African Lion 25

Published May 12, 2025
U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces in Africa Public Affairs

KENITRA, Morocco --

U.S. Airmen joined the Royal Moroccan Air Force, and Allied and partner nation military representatives in Morocco for exercise African Lion 2025 May 12-23.

AL25 is U.S. Africa Command’s largest premier joint annual exercise, bringing together 50 nations and about 10,000 U.S. servicemembers for military training operations across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia.

U.S. Airmen will join their Moroccan counterparts to train on air-to-air refueling, close air support, and aeromedical evacuation tactics through a series challenging training scenarios. More than 100 active, Guard and Reserve Airmen will participate in the exercise including the 139th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Stratton Air National Guard Base, New York; 514th Force Support Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; 30th Aerial Port Squadron, Niagara Air National Guard Base, New York; 121st Air Refueling Wing, Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio; and 4th Combat Training Squadron, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria-Hohenfels, Germany.

“African Lion 25 is AFRICOM’s largest multinational, combined joint exercise in Africa,” said Maj. Gen. Andrew C. Gainey, commanding general, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa. “It demonstrates the capabilities of the Total Force by building strategic readiness and operational lethality alongside our African partners and allies to fight and win in a complex multi-domain environment.”

U.S. Air Force KC-135s from the 121st ARW will conduct air-to-air refueling operations out of Ben Guerir Air Base with RMAF F-16 Fighting Falcons to enhance interoperability and bolster readiness in intense training scenarios. Additionally, the RMAF will lead training on patient movement procedures and medevac out of Kenitra Air Base. The Moroccan-hosted training will also improve the ability of the participating New York and New Jersey Air National Guard units to care for patients in combat scenarios, ensuring they can provide rapid and effective care.

"The rigorous training scenarios we face in African Lion 25 push us to our limits, ensuring we're prepared for the complexities of real-world operations,” said Lt. Gen. Jason Hinds, USAFE-AFAFRICA deputy commander. “This exercise builds the readiness we need to respond effectively to any challenge alongside Allies and partners.”

The multi-component, multinational exercise builds a range of capabilities across the land, air, maritime, space and cyberspace domains. Through this joint training, the U.S. Air Force will strengthen its readiness while increasing African air forces’ capability to counter terrorism and promote stability.