Nato allies set for major war games

Month-long major war games are to start off the Outer Hebrides this weekend which will see a missile fired into space.

The US 6th Fleet is to lead a live firing exercise at the Hebrides Range, which is based in the Uists.

Formidable Shield will involve the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain.

Part of the exercise will see the Nato allies test their ballistic missile defence capabilities.

The Royal Netherlands Navy is to ask its personnel to detect and track

“Successfully tested its ballistic missile defence system”

a missile flying at more than 12,427mph. During the exercise the Dutch air defence and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter will monitor the missile, which will fly twice as high and far as one fired during an at-sea demonstration off the Hebrides in October 2015.

Then an American warship successfully tested its ballistic missile defence system – the first such test in Europe.

The USS Ross carried out the hit during a livefire demonstration in war games.

The destroyer fired an SM-3 missile and shot down a Terrier Orion ballistic missile flying in space, according to a US Navy statement.

The Florida-based USS The Sullivans also fired an SM-2 missile at two aerial targets simulating anti-ship cruise missiles targeting the Ross.

Taking place between this coming Sunday and October 18, some of Formidable Shield will overlap with Nato’s UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior, which also takes place in Scotland.