Jordan-hosted Eager Lion military drill kicks off

AMMAN — The 2022 Eager Lion drill, carried out by the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), kicked off on Sunday with the participation of 26 countries, in addition to Jordan.

The drill will continue until September 15, and its exercises will occur on various specialised training fields affiliated with the JAF, Al Mamlaka TV reported.

During a press conference to announce the launch of the event, JAF Spokesperson Col. Mustafa Hiari said that Jordanian borders are “under control and stable”, noting that the JAF carries out annual border security simulations.

Hiari added that the nature of the challenges in the field requires other countries to join ongoing efforts to face these obstacles.

He added that the drill started with the participation of more than 4,000 military personnel and 1,000 civilians, noting that there are several simulation exercises related to border security.

The colonel stressed that the drills have "no relation to any crisis", adding that Jordan is a “stable oasis in a turbulent neighbourhood”. 

The JAF official pointed out that the drill’s design is based on several scenarios that simulate circumstances and challenges facing the entire world, such as terrorism, which is a global threat that requires unified efforts at the international level, in addition to simulating new threats pertaining to various types of weapons of mass destruction.

Spokesperson for the US Armed Forces Col. Joshua Smith expressed Washington’s honour to continue participating in the long-term partnership in the Jordan-hosted Eager Lion drill.

He added that the drill is among several US-centred exercises which use traditional and nontraditional technologies to activate joint action to confront simulated threats, noting that the drill was designed to exchange military expertise among participating countries and to enhance Jordan’s role in maintaining regional security and stability. 

Col. Smith added that the JAF is among the “strongest and most credible” partners to the US Central Command. 

The drill seeks to realise strategic and tactical goals to enhance the level of cooperation and preparedness among participating troops in the field of counterterrorism. 

The drill is intended to develop security capabilities and improve cooperation among various countries’ institutions to respond to security threats, domestic crises and to increase the efficiency of strategic communication and operations.