IDF Commandos and US Marines completed a joint exercise in the Negev called ‘Noble Shirley’ intended to help prepare American forces combat terror groups, a threat the Israeli security forces copes with on a daily basis. During the exercise, the IDF demonstrated for the American troops many of the skills they use against their common enemy.

The drills included forces from the Israeli Air Force and Navy. Israeli commandos from the elite naval unit Shayetet 13, comparable to the US Navy SEALS, trained alongside the US Marines Corps Battalion Landing Team, the 6th Marine Regiment, and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The exercise simulated helicopter landings in enemy territory, urban and tunnel warfare scenarios and extractions under fire including medical personnel, Channel 2  reported on Thursday.

The live-fire exercise, what the IDF soldiers call ratoov (wet), was the latest in a series of routine bilateral training exercises seeking to improve collaboration and interoperability between the Israeli and American forces. The first Noble Shirely exercise was held in March 2014. This was a routine training exercise and is not associated with or in response to real-world events.

The exercise comes three weeks after the two countries tested the joint US-Israeli missile defense systems, and the David’s Sling missile interceptor system which is still under development.  These systems have seen real The US has either jointly developed or financed all three tiers in Israel’s missile defense program — Iron Dome (short-range missile interceptor), David’s Sling (medium range) and Arrow (long range).

In February, Israel hosted the eighth biennial Juniper Cobra drill, in which over 1,700 US service members, civilians and contractors took part.The five-day drill prepared the two militaries for the threat of a missile attack, teaching the armies to collaborate more effectively. The US European Command integrated the command and control systems of the Aegis Combat System, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Patriots, while Israel plugged in systems from its Arrow-3, David’s Sling and Iron Dome defenses.