Pentagon has big plans for «African Lion», a military exercise held in Morocco

The United States Army Africa, an Army service component command of United States Africa Command, is having big plans for «African Lion», a military exercise held in Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and Spain.

The body is planning to make the exercise «the biggest on the African continent in spring 2020», Army Times reports.

Although the US Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa owned «African Lion» for 16 years, Army Africa is expected to «assume responsibility for the planning and execution» of the military exercise.

«It was a transition year this past year. This is the first year that we are truly in the lead», U.S. Army Africa commander Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier told Army Times.

«To be quite honest, it has been going down in scope over the years and being reduced (…) We saw it as an opportunity», Cloutier added.

For the record, 2,500 soldiers from Moroccan, Tunisian, Senegalese, Spanish, French, Canadian, American and British troops participated to the 2019 edition of the African Lion exercise.