Kenya is set to lead historic multinational military exercise in 2027, after representatives from 15 African countries and United States air force units met in Nairobi to fine-tune preparations for the drill.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said in a statement on Monday that delegates from the 15 member states of the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF), together with the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, gathered at a Nairobi hotel from August 3 to 7 for the Mid Planning Conference. The meeting laid groundwork for the inaugural Association of African Air Forces Exercise (AAAFEX) Command Post and Field Training Exercise, scheduled for 2027 in Kenya.
KDF said stronger cooperation between African air forces has become essential for responding to crises across the continent.
“Collaboration among African Air Forces is critical to strengthening collective air power, enhancing interoperability and building a shared capacity to respond effectively to humanitarian emergencies and disasters,” the statement read.
According to KDF, the conference refined the exercise plan and validated draft standard operating procedures and a concept of air operations, while strengthening cooperation among the participating forces.
The 2027 drill, named “Nguvu Pamoja” meaning collective strength, will test how fast participating nations can mobilise and combine air resources during an emergency. It will also assess command and air-tasking systems and the delivery of coordinated humanitarian aid under a Kenya-led response.
“The exercise will test the ability to mobilise and integrate multinational air resources within hours of activation, establish safe and effective command and air tasking procedures, and deliver coordinated humanitarian assistance to affected communities under a Kenya led response,” KDF said.
Exercise Director and Laikipia Air Base Commander Brigadier Hillary Kipkurui, who presided over the five-day conference, praised participating countries for their input and called the meeting a success. He urged them to keep testing the plan for weaknesses ahead of the actual exercise.
“The success of AAAFEX will depend on our ability to plan together, challenge our assumptions and refine our procedures. I urge all participating members to continue critiquing the plan and identifying gaps so that, by the time we execute the exercise, we have a robust, practical and interoperable framework capable of delivering the desired humanitarian effects,” he said.
The planning conference comes days after KDF broke ground on a new ammunition production line at the Kenya Ordnance Factories Corporation in Eldoret, part of a wider modernisation drive to boost the country’s defence capabilities ahead of hosting the 2027 exercise.
