The fourth edition of a joint military exercise between Saudi Royal Land Forces and the US Army, dubbed “Friendship Military Exercises 2018,” was launched on Monday in the northern region of Saudi Arabia.
The maneuvers will continue for several weeks, aiming at strengthening mutual bilateral military relations, enhancing coordination and joint cooperation, unifying planning procedures and developing command and control operations in the battlefield under different war conditions and conventional and non-conventional warfare methods.
Assistant Commander of the Northern Region Major General Saleh al-Zahrani said that the exercise is considered one of the most important exercises and the command of the land forces is keen on carrying it out annually and regularly.
The exercise’s activities have proved the readiness of the Saudi forces taking part in the drills and “to carry out the exercise activities as planned.”
For his part, Brigadier General Hamdan al-Shammari explained that the exercise is an extension of previous exercises through which training on a number of military operations to unify command and control and exchange of experience have taken place, both in traditional and non-conventional warfare, for the interest of the armed forces at all levels.
"This exercise is of great importance and contributes to the professionalism of joint operations and unified planning between the two sides to develop command and control operations in the battlefield and combat training in regular and irregular warfare situations using the joint weapons system," said Fares al-Mutairi, Director of the Friendship Exercise.
Commander of the US Tank Battalion Lt. Col. Christopher Howell said that the friendship exercise contributes to a partnership between the armed forces of the two countries to build and strengthen mutual military relations.
“The exercise is very important, and it is a great honor to be invited to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
