Department of Defense – by Terry Moon Cronk
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2014 – U.S. forces along with those from more than 20 other nations will begin military exercises in Jordan next week.
Pentagon Spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said today Eager Lion 14 will begin May 25 in what will be Jordan’s fourth annual, large-scale multilateral military exercises.
About 6,000 U.S. troops are expected to participate in the exercise, along with 3,000 from Jordan and some 3,200 from more than 20 partner-nations, totaling more than 12,000 troops.
The exercise, including flight operations and naval drills, will be carried out at military installations across Jordan and in international waters in the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea, DOD officials said.
The focus of Eager Lion 14 will be to strengthen military-to-military relationships, and demonstrate the U.S. commitment to regional security and stability, officials said.
During the exercise, security challenges will be designed to strengthen relationships through a comprehensive, multinational approach.
Scenarios will address irregular warfare complexities; counterinsurgency; stability, security, transition and reconstruction operations; transnational crime; foreign internal defense; counterterrorism; law enforcement and civil-military operations, officials added.
Among exercise objectives, troops will conduct interagency coordination and integration, planning and conducting integrated air missile defense, operations in a chemically contaminated environment and support to civil authority including critical national infrastructure protection, cyber defense and integrated logistics.
The exercises will wrap up June 8.
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