Bangladesh, US forces launch 'Tiger Lightning' exercise Sunday

The Bangladesh Armed Forces and the United States (US) Army will launch their annual bilateral military exercise, "Tiger Lightning 26" on Sunday, bringing together more than 160 service members from the two countries.

The exercise is aimed at strengthening collaboration and enhancing the ability of the two forces to operate together in real-world scenarios, said a press release issued by the US Embassy in Dhaka.

The "Tiger Lightning 26" will feature training focused on jungle operations, counter-terrorism and tactical combat casualty care, providing personnel from both countries with opportunities to better understand each other's capabilities.

The bilateral exercise is part of the United States Army Pacific's Theater Army Campaign Plan and broader security cooperation objectives aimed at strengthening professional relationships, improving military operations, increasing readiness and fostering interoperability between the US Army and the Bangladesh Army.

Tiger Lightning, a bilateral exercise between the US Army and the Bangladesh Armed Forces, was launched in 2017.

The exercise was briefly suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic but has been held regularly for the past five years. This year's exercise will take place across a range of classroom and field environments and culminate in a field training exercise, the release added.