American, Moroccan Cyber Defenders Team Up During African Lion 22 Exercise

Cyber defenders from the United States and Moroccan armies recently took part in a joint cybersecurity exercise called African Lion 22, according to the U.S. Africa Command. Soldiers from the 3rd Special Forces Group’s Tactical Information Support Center teamed up with the Royal Moroccan Special Operations Forces to conduct the “prototype cyber effects training,” AFRICOM said Thursday.

In a statement, AFRICOM called the exercise a first-of-its-kind event intended to find out how “low equity cyber solutions can expand options for key decision makers at the tactical, operational and strategic levels.” It was explained that building an understanding of multi-domain digital activities would allow U.S. and partner forces to work with more sustainable equipment and better understand digital threats to their missions.

Held on June 26, African Lion 22 was a joint all-domain, multi-component and multinational exercise, employing a full array of mission capabilities to strengthen interoperability among allied nations. It involved over 7,500 participants from 28 nations, training together with a focus on enhancing cyber warfare readiness, AFRICOM said.

It was further explained that the 3rd SFG, which was represented at the event by the Expeditionary Cyber Team 2, sought to “learn, iterate and eventually offer flexible cyber options” at scale while operating comfortably with foreign counterparts. The exercise involved hands-on cyber lab demonstrations using commercial tools and comparing them to less accessible high-tech devices.

Following the exercise, AFRICOM said that it is committed to providing partners with the necessary resources to advance mutual interests and respond to any crisis that may arise in Africa.