The UK Naval Base Clyde will host the exercise in which nearly 4,000 personnel will take part. Picture by courtesy The Royal Navy
By Kim Hardie
The UK will boost its defensive capabilities by hosting a major international military exercise for two weeks from October 6, 2019.
More than 3,700 military personnel, 52 aircraft, 15 warships and three submarines from 14 countries will take part in Exercise Joint Warrior until October 17. Many of the UK and international vessels will gather at HM Naval Base Clyde ahead of the exercise as well as at Greenock and Glasgow’s King George V dock.
Joint Warrior allows the UK’s armed forces and their allies to practice joint operations, integrating this to train them against different forces and units and against a range of current and future threats.
Although run by the UK, Joint Warrior is closely aligned to NATO training aims and is included in the NATO exercise programme.
Joint Warrior will take place across the UK:
- The Exercise will be controlled and directed from the Maritime Operations Centre at Scotland’s largest military establishment, HM Naval Base Clyde, with a range of air, surface, sub-surface, sea control and maritime security roles being rehearsed off the West Coast of Scotland.
- Air units will coordinate with maritime and land forces, exercising Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), air defence, air mobility and attack. Aircraft will operate from RAF Lossiemouth, Prestwick and Stornoway airports as well as from RAF Leeming, RAF Coningsby, RAF Cranwell, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Marham and RAF Brize Norton.
- Land activity will focus on integrating with close air support at the Cape Wrath naval bombardment range and the RAF bombing range at Tain, supported by the RAF Spadeadam Electronic Warfare Training Range in Cumbria.
There are 12 NATO nations participating in Exercise Joint Warrior: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the US. The Non-NATO nations taking part are Japan and the United Arab Emirates.
Together these allies and partner nations will deploy 3,700 armed forces personnel, splitting into two opposing Task Forces, starting in the Scottish Exercise Areas (water and airspace generally to the West of Scotland, particularly The Minches).
Exercise Joint Warrior has been designed, planned and delivered by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) based at Northwood in London who will deploy to HM Naval Base Clyde to coordinate events during the fortnight.