Inside how SETAF-AF will turn innovation into capability during African Lion 26

AGADIR, Morocco - More than 40 technology vendors will test cutting-edge military capabilities alongside U.S. military forces from April 20 to May 08, 2026, as part of an effort to close the gap between emerging innovation and the warfighter in Morocco during African Lion 26.

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa's (SETAF-AF) Advanced Capabilities Directorate leads the initiative, serving as the command's front door for the innovation ecosystem.

"Our ultimate purpose is to translate the senior leader's vision for transformation into tangible, battlefield-ready capabilities in the hands of our Soldiers," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Ramon Leonguerrero, innovation division project manager for ACD.

African Lion, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual training exercise, provides the scale and complexity needed to test how new technologies perform alongside multinational partners and allies.

The exercise prioritizes delivering practical solutions to the warfighter over simply showcasing innovation.

The directorate handles technical scouting and external coordination with industry and academia, filtering for the most promising solutions. This approach brings more than 40 U.S.-based vendors into the exercise to address specific needs, including 10 mission command systems, four deep attack capabilities, 12 defense-in-depth enablers and 15 counter-attack integrators.

Morocco provides unique advantages with expansive ranges, unrestricted airspace and an open electromagnetic spectrum that enable realistic experimentation.

"Our goal is to close the gap between emerging technology and the warfighter, using African Lion 26 to rapidly field and validate the tools and technology needed for a decisive edge," Leonguerrero said.

A primary focus for SETAF-AF during the exercise is transforming how the combined joint task force headquarters processes data and executes strikes. By shifting from manual reporting to automated, real-time analytics, the command is breaking down information silos.

"The shift is most evident in the accelerated speed of decision-making," Leonguerrero said.

This acceleration is critical for deep attack operations. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tools, and launched effects from six key vendors, the headquarters is fundamentally shortening the kill chain.

"This provides the CJTF headquarters with the ability to detect, track and engage targets with greater speed - and at extended ranges, revolutionizing deep reconnaissance and attack operations," Leonguerrero said.

The result is increased standoff distance and lethality that enables credible ground deterrence. It equips the land component with cost-effective, faster engagement options, freeing joint forces to concentrate on other strategic priorities. Technologies like the Maven Smart System help build a common operational picture by bridging operational and tactical sensor data across formations.

By integrating these vendors into the exercise, the joint force creates a collaborative ecosystem where developers work side-by-side with operational units.

Units including the 19th Special Forces Group, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater), Army Test and Evaluation Command, and Army Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate are taking these tools from industry into a realistic field environment.

This setup allows for immediate validation. If a piece of equipment fails in the heat and dust of Morocco, the vendor knows immediately. This transparency ensures that solutions are effective for U.S. forces and scalable for coalition warfare.

"We need the ability to scale or make changes to technology rapidly," Leonguerrero said. "This exercise allows us to test, fail, fix and validate these emerging technologies in an operational environment."

During the exercise, warfighters will complete digital surveys evaluating equipment performance. The assessment generates real-time data and graphics, producing scorecards for each vendor. This dashboard is sent to the vendors and U.S. Army Europe and Africa to inform development and procurement decisions.

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About SETAF-AF

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.

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