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| Exercise Eager Lion | |
|---|---|
| Name | Exercise Eager Lion |
| Location | Jordan |
| Type | Multinational field exercise |
| Participants | Jordan, United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Bahrain, Lebanon, Oman, Iraq, Canada, Australia, NATO |
Exercise Eager Lion Exercise Eager Lion is a recurring multinational field exercise hosted by Jordan that brings together armed forces and security services from across the Middle East, North America, Europe, and Asia for integrated training in counterterrorism, stability operations, and interoperability. First conducted in the early 21st century, the exercise has involved partners such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, and United Arab Emirates alongside regional states including Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain, and Oman. The exercise is coordinated with participation or liaison from organizations like NATO and has featured observers from states such as Canada and Australia.
Eager Lion functions as a platform for combined arms maneuvers, command post exercises, and senior leader exchanges that include elements of the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces, United States Central Command, United States Army Central, US Air Forces Central Command, and allied contingents from the British Army, French Armed Forces, and Turkish Armed Forces. The program typically spans land, air, and special operations components, using ranges and training areas near Amman, King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center, and other Jordanian facilities. Participating militaries often coordinate with diplomatic missions such as the Embassy of the United States, Amman and defense attaches from partner capitals like Washington, D.C., London, and Paris.
Origins trace to bilateral Jordan–United States security cooperation in the aftermath of operations in Iraq War (2003–2011) and counterinsurgency campaigns in Afghanistan. Early editions emphasized partnership building between the Royal Jordanian Air Force and US Air Force elements, with later growth to include NATO interoperability standards developed with inputs from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and regional doctrines influenced by incidents involving groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. Over time Eager Lion expanded doctrinal exchanges referencing techniques mirrored in exercises like Bright Star (military exercise), Eager Glacier collaborations, and multinational training initiatives associated with Combined Joint Task Force concepts.
Participants have included national militaries and ministries from Jordan, United States, United Kingdom, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Lebanon, Oman, Iraq, Canada, and Australia; staff-level participation has involved representatives from NATO Headquarters, and liaison officers from the United Nations regional offices. Exercise leadership often combines senior officers from the Royal Jordanian Armed Forces and rotational commanders from US Central Command, with planning cells drawing doctrine from institutions such as the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence and academic partnerships with universities in Amman and centers like the King Hussein Command and Staff College.
Training activities incorporate field training exercises, command post exercises, live-fire drills, medical casualty evacuation exercises, and simulated urban operations reflecting lessons from Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), Siege of Kobani, and stabilization tasks similar to those addressed by Operation Inherent Resolve. Special operations forces from nations such as the United States Army Special Forces, British Special Air Service, and regional commando units have executed direct-action simulations, while air assets from the Royal Jordanian Air Force, US Air Force, French Air and Space Force, and Royal Air Force have conducted integrated close air support and airlift scenarios. Exercises have also included cyber-defense modules inspired by discussions at NATO Summit venues and civil-military coordination models used in humanitarian operations like Operation Unified Protector.
Stated objectives include enhancing interoperability among partner forces, improving crisis response mechanisms, and refining combined planning processes consistent with standards promoted by US Department of Defense cooperation frameworks and NATO interoperability goals. Impact claims include strengthened bilateral ties between Jordan and United States, improved readiness among participating contingents, and enhanced coordination in multinational counterterrorism and stabilization missions. Participants report benefits in logistics interoperability, command and control procedures, and medical evacuation protocols akin to those codified by multinational coalitions during campaigns such as Operation Enduring Freedom.
Critics have raised concerns linking multinational exercises to regional tensions involving actors such as Iran and proxy dynamics with groups tied to Hezbollah and militias in Iraq, arguing that large-scale maneuvers may exacerbate geopolitical friction. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have occasionally questioned transparency and civil impact when large forces conduct urban simulations near population centers. Domestic political debates in participating states like United States Congress, British Parliament, and regional legislatures have at times scrutinized cost, strategic priorities, and the exercise’s alignment with foreign policy objectives promoted by administrations in Washington, D.C. and capitals such as Riyadh and Cairo.
Category:Military exercises