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Video by Spc. Gavin Hardy

Interview: US Marine Cpl discusses partnered close air support at African Lion 2025

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

May 20, 2025 | 1:43

U.S. Marine Cpl. Issey Wright, assigned to 4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, discusses joint naval surface fire and close air support training during African Lion 2025 (AL25) in Tan Tan, Morocco, May 20, 2025. Joint terminal attack controller training in austere, multinational environments enhances muscle memory and builds lethality for future operations. AL25, the largest annual military exercise in Africa, brings together over 50 nations, including seven NATO allies and 10,000 troops to conduct realistic, dynamic and collaborative training in an austere environment that intersects multiple geographic and functional combatant commands. Led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) on behalf of the U.S. Africa Command, AL25 takes place from April 14 to May 23, 2025, across Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia. This large-scale exercise will enhance our ability to work together in complex, multi-domain operations—preparing forces to deploy, fight and win. (U.S. Army Reserve video by Spc. Gavin Hardy)

Key statements from Wright:
01:07:13 Building a relationship with Moroccans and other neighboring countries allows us to work together in the battle space in a cohesive manner

01:48:10 Working with the Moroccans has been great. It gives us a lot of confidence working with them in the future and we hope to have more operations with African Lion in the years to come.