Joint military exercises with British troops continue

TIRANA, Sept. 15 – The joint Albanian- British exercise Albanian Lion 14 continued at Kepi i Palit and Rinas military bases.
Albanian Defense Minister Mimi Kodheli hailed the troops for their commitment and good results during the exercise and said they were a testimony of the excellent cooperation between the Royal Marines and Albanian Armed Forces, which consolidated the partnership between the two armies.
Lasting from Aug. 30 to Sept. 16, Albanian Lion 14 is the first phase of the Joint Albanian-British Exercise Albanian Lion, which also includes the Dragon Hammer 14 from Sept. 16 to Oct. 17.
Albanian and British troops took part in a scene like a real-life assault on an enemy position with hundreds of commandos landing on the shores of Albania during Exercise Albanian Lion – one of the first drills of Exercise Cougar 2014.
The Royal Marines were taken ashore from Devonport-based Royal Navy flagship HMS Bulwark, as well as Plymouth helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, and the support ship Royal Fleet Auxiliary Lyme Bay, all operating in the Adriatic Sea off the Albanian coast.
More than 600 Royal Marines – including Plymouth’s 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines, 539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines and some normally based at Stonehouse Barracks – as well as 1,500 sailors, soldiers and airman are involved in this year’s Exercise Cougar, the British military staid in a statement.
The servicemen and women are training in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Horn of Africa alongside a host of other nations.
Lieutenant Colonel Alex Jantzen, Commanding Officer of Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines, said the training environment ensured the marines were physically, intellectually and emotionally ready for any of the challenges ahead.
“It is this type of training that ensures we can enter the most demanding environments, thrive in adversity and make a difference,” he said.