Largest military exercise in Europe staged in the Clyde
Arran will get a birds-eye view of a major UK-led multi-national military exercise when Exercise Strike Warrior gets under way in the Firth of Clyde tomorrow (Saturday), writes Hugh Boag.
One of the largest military exercises of its kind in Europe, Strike Warrior 21, which incorporates Exercise Joint Warrior 21-1, will run from May 8 to May 20 with some of the participating vessels departing from ports on the west coast of Scotland.
For this exercise, port visits will be kept to a minimum, however, vessels have been arriving this week at HMNB Clyde, King George V Docks, Hunterston and Fairlie before joining the exercise.
Joint Warrior 21-1 is integrated with Exercise Strike Warrior 21 as part of the final preparations for the first deployment of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) next month.
HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, sits at the centre of the CSG which will deploy shortly after the completion of Strike Warrior.
Ten nations - nine NATO and one non-NATO - will take part, bringing 31 warships, three submarines, 150 aircraft and approximately 13,400 military personnel including 1,500 ground troops to miliThe tary ranges across the country and to maritime exercise areas off the north and west coasts of Scotland.
The participating NATO nations will be the UK, USA, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, The Netherlands, Norway and Poland. Australia is the non-NATO participant.
Joint Warrior, which takes place twice a year, in the spring and autumn, and Strike Warrior are designed, planned and delivered by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff based at Northwood in London, some of which will deploy to HM Naval Base Clyde to co-ordinate events during the exercise.
Activity
Exercise activity will include 34 naval units from Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK and the USA participating around the Scottish coast and mine counter measures operations in areas around Campbeltown and Loch Ewe.
A total of 150 aircraft will take part in the exercise with some of them operating from Prestwick Airport, previously HMS Gannet.
There will also GPS denial operations off the east coast of Scotland. The operations will be conducted at limited periods each day and the relevant authorities, especially maritime and aviation, have been involved in the planning process and relevant safeguards have been put in place.
Exercise Joint Warrior, or Strike Warrior as it is known for this time only, is linked directly with the NATO Military Training Exercise Programme and brings together all three UK armed forces – the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force – along with the other participating countries, to provide high quality training opportunities and improve joint operations between the UK and its allies.
Participants will practise a wide range of capabilities across land, sea and air in co-ordinated joint operations with other allied nations, with the Carrier Strike Group being a key element on this occasion prior to the deployment of the HMS Queen Elizabeth Task Group.
The scenario of the exercise will mirror a broad range of crisis and conflict situations which could realistically be experienced in real-world operations.
Over the fortnight, participants will be faced with a period of increasing political and military tension, along with a huge range of realistic military tasks including intelligence gathering and reconnaissance; anti-smuggling and counter-terrorism operations; humanitarian assistance and evacuation operations. All units involved in the exercise will observe Covid-19 control measures, including a requirement for 14-day quarantine periods before personnel can embark in the ships of the UK Carrier Strike Group.
In addition, there will be limited port visits by UK and allied units for operational and logistical reasons only.
Further information on Exercise Strike Warrior, including notices to mariners and impact statements, can be found by visiting Queen’s Harbour Master Clyde’s page on the Royal Navy website: Joint Warriors and other exercises | Royal Navy (mod.uk)