Stars and Stripes
June 12, 2013
US participating in international Eager Lion exercise in Jordan
By Hendrick Simoes
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Eager Lion includes field training, multiple live-fire exercises, reconnaissance training, and Harrier, Cobra and Osprey aircraft…
Last week, Jordanian officials said the U.S. was likely to leave Patriot missile batteries and F-16s in Jordan after the exercise.
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AMMAN, Jordan: Eager Lion, a 12-day annual military exercise involving 8,000 personnel from 19 countries, is underway as the civil war rages next door in Syria.
About 5,000 Americans from all services are participating in the Jordanian-led exercise, which will focus on “issues such as integrated air and missile defense and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to address current and future conflicts’ security issues,” said Maj. Gen. Awni al Adwan of the Jordanian army and chairman of the joint task force.
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“This exercise provides us with the opportunity to develop relationships and capabilities,” said U.S. Maj. Gen. Robert Catalanotti, the U.S. Central Command director of exercises and training.
A major participant in the exercise, which runs through June 20, is Expeditionary Strike Group 5, bringing the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group that includes the USS Kearsarge; USS San Antonio; and USS Carter Hall.
The land component includes a mixture of special operations forces and Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which played a role in Operation Odyssey Dawn to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya in March 2011.
“The exercise has started smoothly…the JAF [Jordanian Armed Forces] are integrating nicely with U.S. forces,” said Lt. Dawn Stankus, the Expeditionary Strike Group 5 spokeswoman.
Eager Lion includes field training, multiple live-fire exercises, reconnaissance training, and Harrier, Cobra and Osprey aircraft…
Last week, Jordanian officials said the U.S. was likely to leave Patriot missile batteries and F-16s in Jordan after the exercise.
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