Army Tests Shared Sensor Network With 40 Nations in African Lion 26

Hon. Dan Driscoll, the 26th Secretary of the Army, provided feedback to innovation cell personnel on May 1 2026 at Southern Zone Headquarters in Agadir, Morocco during African Lion 26.

The exercise, U.S. Africa Command's largest annual joint exercise, ran from April 20 to May 8 2026 and involved more than 5,600 civilian and military personnel from over 40 nations. It took place in Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia and was led by U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF).

The innovation cell proof of concept connected allied and partner sensors to feed data into a shared common operational picture.

Prior to the test, partner forces relied on separate national sensor networks that limited real-time data sharing. The new proof of concept establishes a unified operational picture that allows faster collective decision-making. The capability tested during the exercise now provides a model for integration that participating nations can adopt in future operations.

The shared sensor network requires partner nations to align data protocols and sensor outputs for continued use. U.S. Africa Command must incorporate successful elements of the proof of concept into its standing interoperability standards before the next annual exercise cycle.

Congress receives reporting on exercise outcomes through standard Department of Defense channels as it considers future security assistance funding for African partner forces. SETAF-AF will evaluate the technical results to determine which sensor types and data formats scale most effectively across the 40-plus participating countries.

This proof of concept builds on prior African Lion exercises that have progressively expanded partner participation and technical integration. African Lion 26 follows the pattern of using innovation cells to test capabilities that drive partner-led regional security, per the U.S. Department of Defense release.

The CENTCOM-affiliated exercise continues an annual schedule that has grown to include more than 40 nations in joint training focused on collective security capabilities.

Primary sources: U.S. Department of Defense · U.S. Africa Command