U.S. Central Command Exercises

BRIGHT STAR 2025

BRIGHT STAR 2025 (BS25) is a Combined Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS)-sponsored, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF), Egyptian Training Authority (ETA) led exercise. Since 1980, BRIGHT STAR has been one of the longest-running multi-national exercises in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. After a pause in 2009, BRIGHT STAR resumed biannually in 2017, with a greater focus on realistic scenarios and modern threats. BS25 is intended to build from the successes of BS23 with over 46 nations invited to participate in this year’s exercise. This year’s exercise will take place 28 August – 10 September 2025 at Mohamed Naguib Military Base, Egypt.

Bright Star DVIDS Link

EAGER LION (EL) was first executed in 2011 as a bilateral exercise with a focus on irregular warfare and grew to a multilateral exercise for the 2012-2015 iterations. EL began alternating bilateral (even years) and multilateral (odd years) from 2016-2019. EL24 is the 11th iteration of the exercise; the next EL will be in 2026. The exercise was designed to promote cooperation and interoperability, build functional capacity, enhance readiness, conduct interagency coordination and integration, support civil authority including critical national infrastructure protection, cyber defense, maritime security, operations in a chemically contaminated environment, and integrated logistics. Following the COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in the cancelation of EL 2021) EL became a biennial, multilateral event executed only on even years, alternating with Exercise Bright Star in Egypt on odd years. EL is one of the largest and most complex USCENTCOM exercises maintaining the central theme of defense against hybrid threats and non-state actors.

Eager Lion DVIDS Link

Eagle Resolve is conducted bi-annually with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations to exercise and develop a GCC and U.S. Combined Joint Task force (CJTF) capable of linking multiple agencies to build and develop a regional approach for Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) to protect populations and infrastructures.

The exercise is designed to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to GCC partners, and regional security and stability. USCENTCOM periodically conducts exercises with partner nations throughout the Central Command region. These exercises, in the context of long-standing strategic partnerships, are integral to bilateral and multilateral training cycles to improve interoperability and military cooperation.

Regional Cooperation is a multi-lateral U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) command-post exercise, held in conjunction with regional partners from Central and South Asia.

Regional Cooperation is an annual exercise that focuses on enhancing multinational stability operations and promoting cooperation on counter-terrorism and joint combined capabilities among the United States, Central Asia, South Asia, and other participating nations. Emphasis is on establishing a process to coordinate successful multi-national operations, as well as improving civil-military interaction. 

Regional Cooperation 25 DVIDS Link