STRIKFORNATO’s Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Jason Bohm, accompanied by STRIKFORNATO’s Deputy Chief of Staff Support, Captain Fernando Conceição, yesterday, 16 January, attended the bilateral Exercise WILD CROCODILE (Phase II) Distinguished Visitors Day (DV Day) in order to observe tactical actions involving the Portuguese Marines and the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF) of the U.S. Marines.

This phase of the exercise includes 60 Portuguese Marines and 44 U.S. Marines, and aims to capitalise on the operating product obtained in Phase I, which took place in November 2019 and aimed to ensure the standards training for the MV-22 OSPREY aircraft.

During this second phase interoperability standards will be strengthened between the two forces by conducting "Combat Enhancement Training”, involving the SPMAGTF-CR-AF combat element, followed by a tactical sub-phase involving the air component, as well as an air-tactical control team and F-16 aircraft of the Portuguese Air Force.

The Portuguese Marines Corps, known as "Fuzileiros”, are a special force of the Portuguese Navy, and have their origins in the oldest permanent military force in Portugal. They are responsible for promoting the readiness, logistical and administrative support of the assigned forces, units and operational resources. They are an amphibious Task Force, characterized by flexibility, mobility, combat power and the ability to project power on land.

The SPMAGTF-CR-AF is based in Spain but is responsible for missions and operations in Africa. The force, composed of U.S. Marines and Sailors, is provided by units from across the Corps on a rotational basis. The expeditionary force is based at Moron Air Base, Spain. The SPMAGTF-CR-AF provides the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa (MARFORAF) and U.S. Africa Command with a balanced force with built-in ground, aviation, C2, and logistics elements that provide a wide range of capabilities.