STUTTGART, Germany - In accordance with long-standing bilateral agreements,
U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) will participate with the Israeli Defense
Forces (IDF) in a combined missile defense exercise known as Juniper Cobra
18 (JC18), March 4-15. Activities and preparations associated with the
exercise began in late January and will continue through late March.

JC18 is the ninth in a series of biennial Juniper Cobra exercises conducted
in Israel between the IDF and USEUCOM every two years since 2001. JC18 is
part of a routine training cycle designed to improve the interoperability of
U.S. and IDF defense systems. Planning for JC18 started in late 2016.

"The United States and Israel enjoy a strong and enduring military to
military partnership built on a trust that has been developed over decades
of cooperation," said U.S. Air Force Third Air Force Commander Lt. Gen.
Richard Clark, who also serves as the commander for the deploying Joint Task
Force-Israel. "The Juniper Cobra exercises continue to strengthen this
relationship, providing us with the opportunity to bolster interoperability
and develop seamless integration with our Israeli partners."

More than 2,500 U.S. personnel ashore and afloat will participate in JC18 -
more than 2,100 of those personnel at various locations within Israel - with
a similar number of IDF personnel. The exercise is a welcome opportunity for
USEUCOM and the IDF to exercise together and to learn from each other. JC18
represents another step in the strategic relationship between the U.S. and
Israel, and contributes to regional stability.

During the course of the exercise, limited numbers of U.S. forces will be
temporarily deployed to a number of locations throughout Israel in the
vicinity of civilian population areas. Troop movements and other activities
may be noticed by the civilian population. The exercise will follow
protections and practices that are in place for minimal environmental
impact. While some U.S. personnel will remain in Israel for additional
training opportunities, the majority are scheduled to depart upon completion
of this exercise.

--30--

U.S. European Command is one of two U.S. forward-deployed geographic
combatant commands whose area of focus spans across Europe, portions of Asia
and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. The command is
comprised of more than 60,000 military and civilian personnel and is
responsible for U.S. defense operations, relations with NATO and 51
countries. For more information about U.S. European Command, visit
http://www.eucom.mil/.