Interview: U.S. Air Force Col. Dennis Bird speaks on enhancing lethality, readiness with Morocco through air-to-air refueling operations at African Lion 2025

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Video by Staff Sgt. Jacob Wongwai

U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa

May 14, 2025 | 2:35

U.S. Air Force Col. Dennis Bird, director of operations, Joint Forces Headquarters, Ohio National Guard, highlights the importance of air-to-air refueling training with Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons during African Lion 2025 (AL25) in Marrakesh, Morocco, May 15, 2025. Bird speaks of the readiness and lethality built during the exercise, enhancing joint force capabilities when called upon 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. Air Force video by Staff Sgt. Jacob Wongwai)