The 2022 Eager Lion drill, carried out by the Jordan Armed Forces- Arab Army (JAF), with the participation of 26 countries, continued into its third day Tuesday.
JAF Spokesperson Colonel Mustafa Hiari said on Sunday that the drill will continue until September 15, and its exercises will seek to enhance the level of cooperation and preparedness among participating troops in the field of counterterrorism, border security, drones and new threats pertaining to various types of weapons of mass destruction.
During a press conference to announce the launch of the event, Hiari said that the drill started with the participation of 4,800 military personnel and 1,000 civilians, noting that the training aims to raise preparedness and gain field expertise for forces of the participating countries.
For his part, Assistant Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Operations and Training, Brigadier General Abdullah Shdeifat, visited the military training center for a briefing on the site, the joint force command and the progress of the drill.
He directed the participants from the JAF to make the most of the drill, which is an opportunity to exchange expertise and expertise among the participants, Petra news agency reported.
Coinciding with the activities of the Eager Lion drill, an operational exercise was launched at the National Center for Security and Crisis Management, with the aim of achieving coordination and partnership at the strategic level, enhancing national capabilities in the management of crises and elevating military and civil coordination during military action.
Furthermore, and in the presence of top Jordanian and US officers, he opened at the Royal Naval Force and Boats Command the Jordanian Operations Center for Unmanned Systems (JROC), which uses advanced surveillance systems and artificial intelligence.
The center aims to maintain regional maritime security and stability, monitor navigation, forecast weather and gather data to ensure the security of Jordanian territorial waters.
The participants will have several meetings, seminars and classes to gain expertise and promote the concepts of cooperation and international partnerships, he added.
Spokesperson for the US Armed Forces Col. Joshua Smith expressed Washington’s honor to continue participating in the long-term partnership in the Jordan-hosted Eager Lion drill, the U.S. Embassy in Jordan said.,
He said the drill is among several US-centered exercises, which use traditional and nontraditional technologies to activate joint action to confront simulated threats, noting that the drill was designed to exchange military expertise among participating countries and to enhance Jordan’s role in maintaining regional security and stability.
Smith said there are approximately 1,700 US soldiers, 2,200 members of the Jordanian military and 400 members from other countries, participating in these exercises.
In addition to Jordan and USA, also participating in the drills are Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Kazakhstan, Austria, Sweden, Cyprus, Kenya, Greece, Poland, Belgium, Pakistan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Morocco.
The Eager Lion exercise started in Jordan in 2011 and includes ground, naval and air military trainings.
