NW will play part in largest military exercise in Europe
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Huge areas of Scotland’s skies and coastlines will be dominated in the first two weeks of October by the biggest military exercise in Europe, as the Navies, Air Forces and Armies of 14 countries test their combat skills – with the Far North playing a part.
Organised by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, the exercise has taken on huge strategic, operational and tactical importance as it backs up the training required for the all-too-real action in Afghanistan and Libya.
Exercise Joint Warrior (JW) is a UK wide, tri-service exercise conducted in the spring and the autumn of each year, and is assessed as the largest tactically focused exercise in Europe.
The second of this year’s JW exercises will take place between Monday, 3 October, and Monday, 17 October.
The impact of military operations in Afghanistan and Libya continues to limit national and multi-national participation levels in JW.
Military air participation is consequently noticeably reduced but includes UK C130 Hercules, VC10 and TriStar Tankers based at RAF Brize Norton, Sentry E3D based at RAF Waddington, Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Typhoon from RAF Leuchars, and on the multinational side, a detachment of German Tornado ECR aircraft detached to RAF Leuchars, up to 10 Maritime Patrol aircraft (MPA) from US, Canada and France, all based at RAF Lossiemouth, and French Rafale participating from their home base in France, for a bilateral training opportunity with Tornado GR4s from RAF Marham.
Limited night and weekend flying will be undertaken from RAF Lossiemouth supporting UK and multi-national Navy elements on the exercise.
Throughout areas of North West Scotland there will be preparatory training for deployment of UK unit elements of the Joint Ground Based Air Defence unit, 1 (UK) Division, 3 (UK) Division and the Royal Air Force Regiment.
In addition there will be core training of Allied elements of the Swedish Air Defence Regiment, the Dutch Marines and the United States Marine Corps Forward Air Control units being supported by UK Fast Jet and Intelligence gathering platforms.
To meet the participating nations’ training needs, JW facilitates a very broad range of crisis and conflict scenarios. These will include counter insurgency, state sponsored terrorism, counter narcotics and piracy and state-on-state conflict situations, all of which facilitate quality collective training opportunities for JW participants across the Air, Maritime and Land environments.
Live firing serials will integrate Naval Gunfire and land based mortars in the Cape Wrath areas.
Some of the JW exercise areas overlap environmentally sensitive conservation zones, which contain a wide variety of marine wildlife, sea bird breeding grounds and protected fauna and flora. Furthermore, the farming, fishing and tourist industries are important economic activities, which benefit from the natural beauty and relative isolation of some of the exercise areas.
Against this background, the MOD recognises the impact of Military Activity and takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously.
During the planning of the exercise, Environmental Impact Assessments will be produced where required, such as for the use of Active Sonar and live weapons.
Furthermore, close working relationships with landowners and key national stakeholders, combined with engagement with local communities, ensure that appropriate environmental mitigation procedures are put in place and adhered to.
