Joint Warrior gets underway in UK

More than 3,000 troops from 14 participating nations have arrived in the UK for NATO exercise Joint Warrior.

The multinational, biannual military exercise will take place across Scotland and Northern England over the next two weeks. In total, nearly 4,000 troops, 58 aircraft, 16 ships and three submarines from 12 NATO nations as well as Japan and the UAE will participate in the exercise until 17 October.

It will also provide the setting for the first opportunity the Anglo-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) will have for training ahead of becoming fully operational by mid-2020.

Minister for the Armed Forces Mark Lancaster said: ‘As we look ahead to the December NATO Leaders’ meeting in London to mark the Alliance’s 70th anniversary, Exercise Joint Warrior provides a timely demonstration of why it is the bedrock of our defence.

‘A wide spectrum of allies and friends will come together, build understanding and sharpen our collective defence. We are stronger and safer together.’

The CJEF is being developed as an early intervention able to deploy land, air and maritime components together with a range of capabilities in response to any future crisis that is of common concern to France and the UK.

The CJEF is complementary to NATO and it will conduct a maritime exercise – Exercise Griffin Strike – as part of the wider NATO exercise.

Nations taking part in the exercise include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey the UK, the US, Japan and the UAE.