The Saudi Armed Forces and US Marine Corps launched Exercise Native Fury 24 (NF 24) on Sunday at the commercial port of Yanbu on the Red Sea coast, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Commander of the Western Region Major General Pilot Ahmed bin Ali Al-Dubais accompanied by several senior officers from the Saudi Armed Forces, and Director of the US Central Command in the Kingdom Brigadier General Richard J. Quirk and various senior officials from the US Army, were present at the launch.
Brigadier General Oqab bin Awad Al-Mutairi, Commander of the NF 24, said that the exercise would be carried out in stages, with the participation of several government agencies.
The exercise aims to enhance coordination and partnership, exchange expertise, and boost training standards of utilizing military bases and road networks in the Kingdom. It also aims to train participants on collaborating with civil and military government agencies to carry out such exercises.
Al-Mutairi added that the exercise involves several hypothetical scenarios, drills on transport and supply operations, and live munition shooting. It kicks off from Yanbu Governorate, cuts across several regions and ends at the Prince Sultan Air Base in Al Kharj. The US forces will resume the exercise at the UAE.
According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), NF 24 represents a significant milestone in the US military’s collaboration with the Royal Saudi Armed Forces and United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, demonstrating the positive outcomes of sustained cooperation.
