Orkney waters host military exercise

The waters around Orkney are currently hosting elements of the largest live military exercise being held in Europe this year with Exercise Joint Warrior.

The two-week operation, which has been months in the planning, began last Friday, March 28, and entails participation from 34 naval units from eight different countries including the UK, US, the Netherlands, France, Denmark, Turkey and Norway.

The Royal Navy says the multinational training gives troops the chance to hone a broad range of military skills in a realistic platform.

Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the US, Canada, France, Norway and New Zealand are also participating, operating from RAF Lossiemouth, as is RAF Leuchars in Fife which is  deploying Typhoons. In total, across land, sea and air, some 13,000 military personnel are involved in the operation.

An essential part of the exercise is training in temporary radar and communication jamming.  GPS jamming will be limited to a confined area in the North West of Scotland and the Royal Navy have reported that the relevant authorities, including aviation and maritime communities, have been consulted and procedures are in place for any unforeseen activity.

Skills practiced during  Operation Joint Warrior include: maritime task force training; anti-submarine warfare; mine countermeasures training; counter piracy, narcotics and insurgency; close air support; logistics support; and electronic warfare training.