AGADIR, Morocco - U.S. Army Soldiers and their counterparts in the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces simulated responding to chemical threats using the revolutionary Unified Command Suite (UCS) truck during Exercise African Lion 23 on June 12, 2023.
This exercise marks the first deployment of the USC truck on the African continent. The state-of-the-art command and control system serves as a central hub for coordinating the response efforts against Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incidents. The USC truck enables units to share voice, video and data between units and agencies on a secure platform.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Kristofer L. Hellstrom, 1st Sgt. of the 773rd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team (773rd WMD CST), emphasized the significance of this joint effort.
"By bringing the USC truck to Africa for the first time, we are expanding our collective knowledge and capabilities in combating these threats,” said Hellstrom. “This exercise has reinforced our partnership and ultimately allowed us both to learn something new from one another."
Eighteen nations and approximately 8,000 personnel participated in African Lion 2023, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual combined, joint exercise that took place in Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia from May 13-June 18, 2023.
"The USC truck, with its integrated technologies, has demonstrated its immense value in enhancing our ability to respond to CBRN incidents quickly and effectively,” Hellstrom added. “We are grateful for this opportunity to learn from our Moroccan counterparts and strengthen our preparedness in countering such threats."
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