NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya is set to host the inaugural Association of African Air Forces Exercise (AAAFEX) in 2027, with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) expected to lead a multinational exercise aimed at strengthening cooperation, interoperability and humanitarian response capabilities among African air forces.
The Ministry of Defence said the AAAFEX Command Post and Field Training Exercise (CPX/FTX) will bring together air forces from across the continent to test their ability to mobilise and integrate multinational air resources during emergencies and disasters.
The exercise, dubbed “Nguvu Pamoja”, meaning “collective strength”, is expected to provide a platform for African countries to strengthen collective air power and develop coordinated responses to humanitarian crises.
Preparations for the exercise gained momentum during a Mid Planning Conference held in Nairobi from August 3 to 7, 2026, bringing together representatives from 15 member countries of the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) as well as the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the conference focused on refining the exercise plan, validating draft operational procedures and developing a common framework for participating air forces ahead of the 2027 exercise.
“It is against this backdrop that the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) is preparing to conduct its inaugural Command Post and Field Training Exercise (AAAFEX CPX/FTX), scheduled for 2027 in Kenya,” the ministry said.
The exercise will test how quickly participating countries can mobilise and integrate air assets following activation, while also assessing command structures, air tasking procedures and the delivery of coordinated humanitarian assistance under a Kenya-led response.
The initiative comes amid growing efforts by African military institutions to improve regional cooperation and develop joint capabilities for responding to disasters, humanitarian emergencies and other crises that require rapid deployment of resources.
Brigadier Kipkurui urges joint planning
Brigadier Hillary Kipkurui, Exercise Director and Base Commander of Laikipia Air Base, said the success of the exercise would depend on detailed joint planning and the willingness of participating countries to identify weaknesses before the actual deployment.
He urged participants to challenge existing assumptions, review the exercise plan and close operational gaps to ensure the final framework is practical and interoperable.
“The success of AAAFEX will depend on our ability to plan together, challenge our assumptions and refine our procedures. I urge all participating members to continue critiquing the plan and identifying gaps so that, by the time we execute the exercise, we have a robust, practical and interoperable framework capable of delivering the desired humanitarian effects,” Kipkurui said.
The planning conference was therefore seen as an important step towards turning AAAFEX into a multinational capability focused on coordinated humanitarian assistance.
Building Africa’s collective air capability
The 2027 exercise is expected to provide participating air forces with an opportunity to improve coordination in areas such as command and control, air mobility, logistics and emergency response.
For Kenya, hosting and leading the exercise will also provide an opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to coordinate multinational military operations while strengthening partnerships with other African air forces and international defence partners.
The Ministry of Defence said the preparations would continue ahead of the exercise, with participating countries expected to refine operational procedures and strengthen interoperability before the field phase.
