19 nations come together for Exercise Eager Lion 12 in Jordan

August 16, 2012 - Earlier this summer, troops from 19 nations came together in the Jordanian desert for war-games in what is known as Exercise Eager Lion. The exercise is part of U.S. Central Command's (CENTCOM) Cooperative Defense Program.

 

The exercise is designed to help train those who participate meet current security challenges in deployments around the world. It also helped to promote cooperation and interoperability among more than 12,000 troops.

 

It helped to build functional capacity, and enhance readiness among the participating nations. The exercise included all four branches of the United States military. It also included special operations forces such as the Navy Seals.

 

Seabees from the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 had already been working in Jordan on an operations center there. They completed the center on the grounds of the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center in time for the exercise.

 

Marines and Sailors with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) were the Marine units that participated. The DVIDS website says,

The Marines with VMM-261 (Reinforced), which is the Aviation Combat Element in a MEU, arrived in Jordan with a limited staff and a determination to see this exercise to the end.

There are a number of units compromising the ACE as its air assets include MV-22 Ospreys, CH-53E Super Stallions, UH-1N Hueys, AH-1W Cobras, and AV-8B Harriers. These units provide troop transport, medical evacuations and trained with the Jordanian Air Force.

 

The nations which took part in the exercise were Australia, Bahrain, Brunei, Egypt, France, Italy, Iraq, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Spain, Romania, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

 

Marines and the Royal Jordanian Army conducted live-fire exercises with their M1A1 tanks and Jordanians Challenger 1 tanks. The purpose of that training was to prepare them for joint efforts in future Eager Lion exercises. It also provided the Marines and Jordanians a chance to work together, to learn one another's procedures and to develop cohesion.

 

Eager Lion had been in the planning stages for the last three years. In 2011, a similar exercise took place in Jordan. The exercise scenarios were designed years in advance and were created to portray modern-day security challenges.

 

 

A member of the Special Force Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces listens to a U.S. military advisor discuss weapons manipulation techniques at a live-fire training evolution during Exercise Eager Lion 12. Members participating are attached to Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-300.    (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Terrence Siren)

 

 

 

 

 

A U.S. military advisor demonstrates weapons handling techniques for members of the Special Force Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces at a live-fire training evolution during Exercise Eager Lion 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Terrence Siren)

 

 

U.S. military advisors and a member of the Special Force Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces share a laugh during a break at a live-fire training evolution during Exercise Eager Lion 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Terrence Siren)

 

 

 



 

A U.S. military advisor takes down his target at a live-fire training evolution while a member of the Special Force Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces times him during Exercise Eager Lion 12.  (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Terrence Siren)

 

 

 

 

A member of the special forces regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces listens to a U.S. military advisor discuss weapons manipulation techniques at a live-fire training evolution during Exercise Eager Lion 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Terrence Siren)

 

 

 

A U.S. military advisor keeps time as a member of the Special Force Regiment of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces fires at targets during a "shoot-and-move" drill at a live-fire training evolution during Exercise Eager Lion 12. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Terrence Siren)