Participants of the UK-led Joint Warrior exercise have completed their final task, concluding the two-week training exercise off the coast of Scotland.
The semi-annual training programme included several air, sea and ground assets from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, as well as participants from the UK and the US.
The exercise included 50 ships, alongside aircraft and support personnel from up to 15 countries.
In addition US Navy guided-missile cruisers USS Anzio (CG 68) and USS Vicksburg (CG 69), USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and the Military Sealift Command dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13), also took part in the training exercise.
As part of the training exercise, participants took part in scheduled scenarios, such as small boat attacks, boarding operations, air defence, antisubmarine warfare and ship manoeuvrability tasks.
Captain Brian Fort, commander of US destroyer squadron (DESRON) 26 said: "Participating in the last three Joint Warrior exercises, from being a warfare commander aboard HMS Illustrious (R06) to serving as the task group commander to finally serving in a task force exercise control role, it’s been an amazing run for DESRON 26."
The Joint Warrior training exercise, conducted in Faslane, Scotland is designed to provide NATO and allied forces with a multi-warfare environment to prepare for global operations. Participating countries aim to improve interoperability and prepare forces for future combined exercises.
The next exercise will take place later this year and will include the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force (RAF).
