US Army and Bangladesh Armed Forces to launch Tiger Lightning bilateral exercise

The United States Army and the Bangladesh Armed Forces are set to commence their annual Tiger Lightning bilateral exercise on Sunday, the US Embassy in Dhaka announced Saturday. This joint training initiative brings together more than 160 service members from both nations.

The exercise is designed to enhance collaboration and the ability to operate effectively in real-world scenarios. Key training components include jungle operations, counter-terrorism tactics, and tactical combat casualty care. These elements provide both countries with valuable opportunities to understand each other's military capabilities and operational procedures.

Tiger Lightning is a significant component of the United States Army Pacific's Theatre Army Campaign Plan and security cooperation objectives. Its overarching goals are to foster stronger professional relationships, improve military operations, increase readiness levels, and enhance interoperability between the US Army and the Bangladesh Army. The exercise, which began in 2017, has continued for the past five years, with a brief pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants will engage in a variety of classroom and field environments, culminating in a comprehensive field training exercise. Last year's Tiger Lightning exercise (TL-2025) involved 66 personnel from the Nevada National Guard and 100 from the Bangladesh Army's Para Commando Brigade. The collaboration underscores the mutual cooperation between Bangladesh and the United States in areas such as regional and global security, counter-terrorism, disaster management, and humanitarian assistance.