DefenderEurope

DEFENDER is the Army’s largest annual opportunity to exercise moving personnel and equipment into theater across modes for initial and follow-on operations critical to Large Scale Combat Operations. Led by U.S. Army Europe and Africa, the exercise focuses on the strategic deployment of CONUS-based forces, employment of Army Prepositioned Stock and follow-on exercises demonstrating lethality and interoperability with Allies and partners

DEFENDER 25 Outreach tour

DEFENDER 25 Infographic

Videos

Video by Marisa Gaona, Desiree Kapler

Aquatic Plant Control Research Program International Biocontrol Collaboration

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

Feb. 8, 2024 | 6:26

Millions of acres of surface water nationwide are infested with non-indigenous, problem-causing aquatic plants like Eurasian watermilfoil, hydrilla and yellow floating heart. These plants, with no natural enemies in the United States, can be detrimental to our aquatic ecosystems – interfering with navigation, flood control, hydropower production and waterborne recreation.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) faces this challenge daily in the management of more than 5.5-million surface acres of water at its reservoir and navigation projects across the United States. Aquatic plant management in the U.S. costs millions annually to USACE districts and states, primarily through herbicide application. However, other solutions are being explored by USACE’s Aquatic Plant Control Research Program.

The Aquatic Plant Control Research Program has been leveraging the expertise and world-class facilities of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in the development of management strategies for these non-indigenous aquatic plants. To gain knowledge of these plant species, ERDC’s researchers have fostered international collaborations with partners across the globe. These partnerships are instrumental in gathering year-round data. Their latest effort has taken them to South Korea in the search for a suitable biological control agent for Yellow Floating Heart.

Watch to learn more.

Swift Response
Immediate Response
Saber Guardian

Press Information

All news, photos and videos from DEFENDER is available for download on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
All products are public domain and can be used by media outlets. You can search without an account, to download you'll need to create a free account.
For facts and statistics on DEFENDER 25, please refer to the Fact Sheet.