Armenia to Host Joint Military Exercise With the United States

YEREVAN — Armenia announced on Saturday that it will host another joint military exercise with the United States this month.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said the Eagle Partner 2024 exercise scheduled for July 15-24 will involve soldiers of its special peacekeeping brigade, U.S. Army Europe and Africa and the Kansas National Guard. It said that for the purpose of increasing their interoperability the participating troops will practice taking “stabilization actions” during a joint peacekeeping operation in an imaginary conflict zone.

“The exercise will build on Armenian and U.S. collective ability to conduct peacekeeping operations by performing gunnery and stability training, weapons familiarization, and range management,” read a separate statement released by U.S. Army Europe and Africa. “Conducting this training allows troops from both nations to become familiar with each other’s equipment.”

“Working side by side with our Armenian partners in exercises such as Eagle Partner strengthens the trust and friendships between our nations and the men and women of our military services” the statement quoted Brigadier General Michael Venerdi, the Kansas adjutant general, as saying.

Eighty-five U.S. and 175 Armenian soldiers held similar drills at two training grounds outside Yerevan last September. Two U.S. generals watched one of those training sessions together with Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.