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U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Capt. William Torrington, 3rd Air Naval Gunnery Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, from Rocklin, California, plots coordinates for an airstrike by two Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s during Exercise African Lion 2023 in Tan Tan, Morocco, June 8, 2023. Eighteen nations and approximately 8,000 personnel will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13-June 18, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel J. Solomon)
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U.S. Marine Corps Reserve 3rd Air Naval Gunnery Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, observe the training area as they call for air support from Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16 pilots in Tan Tan, Morocco during Exercise African Lion on June 8, 2023. Eighteen nations and approximately 8,000 personnel will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13-June 18, 2023.(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel J. Solomon)
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U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Cpt. Kelly Dillenberger, 3rd Air Naval Gunnery Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, communicates with Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s inbound on the training area in Tan Tan, Morocco, during Exercise African Lion June 8, 2023. Eighteen nations and approximately 8,000 personnel will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13-June 18, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel J. Solomon)
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U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Cpl. Ethan Garrett, of the 3rd Air Naval Gunnery Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, from Moorpark, California, monitors the radio in preparation for calling an airstrike with a Moroccan F-16 in Tan Tan, Morocco during Exercise African Lion 2023, June 8, 2023. Eighteen nations and approximately 8,000 personnel will participate in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13-June 18, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel J. Solomon)
(Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Ariel Solomon)VIEW ORIGINAL
For more than 45 minutes, Marines relayed target location data, and provided terminal attack controls for Morocco’s most capable and lethal fighter pilots.
“The pilots were very sharp and very professional,” said Capt. Taylor Dillenberger, the Supporting Arms Liaison Team Alpha officer in charge. “Training with members of a foreign air force in a realistic training environment prepares Marines to conduct multilateral military operations on the modern-day battlefield.”
3D ANGLICO, based in Los Angeles, California, uses small teams consisting of a radio operator, a joint terminal attack controller, and a joint fires observer to serve as the link between air and ground teams.
Small fire support teams are doctrinally attached to non-Marine units. 3D ANGLICO is also supporting the Army National Guard’s 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team in the Tan Tan Training Area.
“Working with the Army and the National Guard has been a great experience,” said U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Capt. William Torrington, a joint tactical air controller. “Exercises like this provide a wonderful opportunity to share tactics, techniques and procedures.”
AL23 in Morocco is a continuation of the U.S. and Morocco’s longstanding security relationship, a relationship that dates back to the founding of the United States.
More than a dozen of the unit’s Marines are participating in African Lion 23 throughout June with approximately 8,000 personnel from 18 nations. AL23, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that will take place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia from May 13 to June 18, 2023.
About SETAF-AF
SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.
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