Military Exercise Heads East

The seas off the East Coast of Scotland are set to host elements of a major military exercise in October when Exercise Joint Warrior 142 begins.

The multinational exercise, which is held twice a year in the spring and autumn, will involve 22 naval units and around 52 fixed wing aircraft. 

Countries taking part in the maritime part of Joint Warrior are the UK, the United States, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, Belgium, Poland, Estonia and Latvia, with the US Navy's Commander Destroyer Squadron 26 assuming overall command of the task group.

Exercise Joint Warrior provides all three UK Armed Services, and invited allied nations, with the opportunity to hone the vital skills needed to fight and win on today’s battlefield. 

Joint Warrior will simulate a broad range of realistic scenarios encountered in modern day conflicts and peace keeping missions. Military skills practiced will include: anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; mine countermeasures; live firing; counter-smuggling and counter-insurgency; electronic warfare; and logistics support. 

Over the two-week period, the exercise will develop from an initial period of military and political tension into simulated war fighting and potentially state on state hostilities. Key to Joint Warrior is the opportunity to practice and improve the tactics, techniques and procedures required of the Armed Forces.

Coordinating events will be around 150 additional military personnel, many of them Reservists, who will operate from HM Naval Base Clyde during the fortnight. 

Also participating is RAF Lossiemouth in Moray who will operate both Typhoon and Tornado GR4 aircraft and host fighter planes from Sweden, Belgium and Germany. 

As in previous exercises, GPS denial operations will be practiced during Joint Warrior 142. 

Temporary radar and communications jamming is a part of modern warfare and training for this an essential part of preparation for operations.

GPS jamming during Joint Warrior will be limited to a confined area in North West Scotland at specific times. Maritime, fishing, aviation and hill walking organisations have been consulted and made aware of GPS jamming. 

In the run-up to Joint Warrior, exercise staff have engaged with local communities, key stakeholders and landowners in order to minimise the impact of military activity on the environment.