Forces from U.S. Central Command joined with host country Jordan and more than 30 additional partner nations Sunday to kick off Exercise Eager Lion 2024, the Pentagon announced today.
This 11th iteration of Eager Lion serves to underscore the United States’ “commitment to interoperability with our partners in the region, while refining our ability to defend against … threats by state and non-state actors,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.
Considered the most important exercise between the U.S. military and the Jordanian Armed Forces, Eager Lion 24 will focus on training the participating partner nations to develop cooperation and interoperability between military and interagency organizations, according to a Centcom press release on the exercise.
In addition to addressing challenges from across the region’s air, land, sea and cyber domains, the exercise will also support humanitarian aid assistance and multinational disaster response operations, the release states.
“Eager Lion demonstrates the value of working together to maintain a ready and responsive force that truly demonstrates we are prepared to respond together in times of crisis,” exercise director U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Jason Benson said.
Benson added that Eager Lion does more than merely demonstrate the commitment to interoperability between multiple partner nations.
“It also demonstrates that our coalition force can maintain a sufficient and sustainable presence in the region. It delivers a clear message that relationships matter,” he said.
“As we work to deter and address aggressive actions by maligned actors around the world, these kinds of exercises and partnerships enable us to meet new and continuing threats together,” Singh said.
She added that the U.S. military participates in more than 80 exercises with partner nations throughout Centcom’s area of responsibility each year to bolster military-to-military relationships that promote regional security.
Eager Lion 24 is scheduled to run until May 23.