The biggest military exercise in the UK, Joint Warrior, continues after a hugely successful opening first week, say the Royal Navy.
The exercise runs through a range of scenarios, including crisis and conflict situations, that could be realistically encountered in operations – disputed territory, terrorist activity, piracy and more.
According to a release:
“More than 8,000 military personnel from 13 nations, nearly 40 ships and submarines – including two NATO task groups – and 60 aircraft, including the debut by the Navy’s new F-35 Lightning stealth fighter, and helicopters are taking part in Joint Warrior 19-1.
The huge force spent the first week getting to know each other and learning to operate as a team – despite gale force winds and heavy seas battering the huge exercise area stretching from the Clyde estuary to Cape Wrath.”
HMS Albion heads a task group including HMS Defender, hms kENT, RFA Lyme Bay, Tiderace and hundreds of Royal Marines of 3 Commando Brigade.
“A task group like this keeps the enemy guessing,” said Brigadier Matt Jackson, 3 Commando Brigade’s Commanding Officer.
“You’re never quite sure where we’re going to land. That creates uncertainty in your opponent’s mind – and we have a big punch as well if we decide to use it.”
Yep…the top picture looks exactly like the Joint Warrior exercises I have done . Overcast, miserably,cold, misty and choppy seas in the Minches.
Still it could be worse i could have been a Royal sat in a soggy hole in the ground
The 4.5 shoot shows the Sea ceptor VLS in the foreground. Ix Sea Ceptor per “mushroom”
Under the mushroom is the square Sea Ceptor canister and that is how the RN made a square peg ( Sea Ceptor Canister) fit in a round hole ( VLS Seawolf silo)
Zooms in for a closer look…
Always help when the square peg is smaller than the round hole isn’t it Gunbuster
So the RN F35s are taking part.. I wonder if they are being based at Lossiemouth or just being refuelled in air and back home.
I recall the article about JW starting saying aircraft would be involved from several UK stations, including Marham. So I guess no. Keep your eyes peeled!
Not Joint warrior related but, the MOD have announced (02 Apr 19) that they have released an initial request for information (RFI) for a new 155 mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH), known as the Mobile Fires Platform (MFP), which could be introduced into service as early as 2026. According to the RFI, the MFP will be able to deliver an all-weather, day and night, 24/7 indirect fire capability, enabling “kinetic effect” at extended range in support of the British Army’s deployable warfighting division, as well as increased range and mobility for supporting Strike and armoured infantry operations. What they haven’t stated… Read more »
Yes I read this over on Gabs blog. The theory is the order is enough for 4 regiments worth, which will replace both the 2 AS90 regiments and the 2 Light Gun equipped regiments in the 4 brigades.
Will probably be wheeled.
A SP Boxer derivative would be fantastic.
When the modernising defence document (MDP) came out last year I noticed that the MOD said they were committed to a deployable division of THREE brigades “including a strike force”.
Is that THREE Armoured inf Bdes plus a strike brigade = FOUR Brigades
OR more likely
TWO Armoured infantry Brigades + 1 Strike Brigade = THREE brigades
The cynical side of me says I think the MDP covertly chopped a whole brigade.
Which has a direct bearing on the number of mobile guns that will be procured.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
There are still 2 armoured Brigades and 2 Strike Brigades. A deployable division would be formed out of 3 of them. Like now and previously in BAOR our divisions had 3 brigades. You’re correct in being suspicious and a whole range of cuts have occurred. Previous to SDSR2015 the “Reaction” force had 3 armoured infantry brigades and 16AA. The Adaptable force had 7 Infantry brigades, of which TWO were meant to be deployable insofar as they had the complementary artillery engineers logistics and other enablers from Force Troops Command. 3 armoured plus 2 infantry equals 5 brigades, 7 if you… Read more »
Thanks Daniele
After rereading DaveyB’s comments and yours, I just clocked that means they’re probably replacing the AS90s.
I’m going to take the positive news here: at least they’re spending money.
It needs spending.
The artillery allocated to our strike brigades is wholly inadequate using towed Light Guns!
In fact much of the Strike Brigade set up is inadequate while they keep mixing tracks with wheels.
Hi folks, hope are all well
Yes this is great news and a great pic.
No doubt our Russian friends are having a good look. Does anybody know if any Russian monitoring was observed? I haven’t seen any news about it yet.