ONE of the largest multinational military exercises of its kind in Europe will be co-ordinated from Faslane Navy base, starting this weekend.

Exercise Joint Warrior will see 39 naval units from 13 nations taking part, with many using maritime exercise areas off the West and Northern coasts of Scotland.

Running from Saturday to May 4, the UK-led exercise is linked directly into the NATO military training exercise programme and provides NATO allies and partners with the opportunity to improve the tactics and procedures vital on today’s battlefield.

Exercise activity will include vessels from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the UK and the US practising maritime skills such as anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and anti-air warfare.

Air participants will come from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, the UK and the US, with some of the aircraft operating from RAF Lossiemouth, Prestwick Airport (HMS Gannet) and Stornoway Airport.

The exercise will also feature limited GPS Denial Operations which will be confined to a small area in the North West of Scotland near Loch Ewe.

The operations will be conducted at limited periods each day and the relevant authorities, including aviation and maritime communities, have been consulted.

Exercise Joint Warrior has been designed, planned and delivered by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) based at Northwood in London who will deploy to HM Naval Base Clyde to co-ordinate events during the fortnight.

Many of the international vessels will also gather at the naval base ahead of the exercise as well as at Glasgow’s King George V docks.