NATO allies have gathered at RAF Lossiemouth to take part in the biannual Formidable Shield exercise, which aims to improve joint live-fire, integrated air and missile defence interoperability.
The exercise, which will run until May 26, is the largest of its kind to be held by NATO this year and involves more than 20 ships, 35 aircraft, and almost 4,000 NATO personnel.
As part of the exercise, RAF Typhoons and P8 Poseidon aircraft, French Navy Rafale M jets, and Italian Air Force Typhoons supported by an Italian Air Force KC 767 A tanker will fly from the Scottish airbase. Other NATO allies will also participate in live-fire exercises at ranges in northern Scotland and off the Scottish coast.
Wing Commander Tim McAuley, Officer Commanding Station Operations at RAF Lossiemouth, highlighted the significance of the exercise in terms of improving integrated air and missile defence capabilities: “Exercise Formidable Shield is an excellent example of the UK taking a leading role in the development of integrated air and missile defence with our NATO allies. I am delighted that RAF Lossiemouth, through the efforts of our ground crews and ops staff, are at the centre of this exercise helping to protect our people and counter a growing threat.”
McAuley also noted that RAF Lossiemouth’s location near fast jet training areas allows it to provide the multi-domain exercise area needed for an exercise of this type: “In utilising the array of low-level flying areas in Scotland and Tain Range, our allies are able to incorporate challenging and realistic targets into the exercise environment.”
The exercise is designed to enhance Allied interoperability in a joint live-fire, integrated air and missile defence environment, using NATO command and control reporting structures. Allied nations will practice and assess their ability to share situational awareness and carry out NATO-level mission planning.
The Commander Task Group, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, has embarked aboard the Spanish Navy Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate ESPS Blas de Lezo that will provide the command and control function for the exercise. The Spanish frigate will operate with the US 6th Fleet for the duration of the exercise.
The exercise involves 13 NATO Allied and partner nations, including Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Ground units consisting of radars, Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems will also be used during the exercise.
Interesting that HIMARS is there. Presumably ship mounted?
How I’d love to be a fly on the wall.
I don’t think the general readership appreciates just how good some of the European systems now are and in a lot of cases better than their US equivalents.
God bless ITAR and FMS.
The US snub, when Tony Blair suggested there should be a reciprocal tax to FMS, was what stopped MOTS in its tracks and saved the rump of British expertise. He was told if the UK had an FMS tax they buy elsewhere.
Perhaps the air defences on land and ships are seeing if they can track and shoot down himars
And hopefully this missile shoot fest exercise will then lead to some GBAD protecting the “air defences on land” being deployed in the UK.
Not the remotest chance. It would be too logical and sensible. Unless of course Richys wife has shares in one of the companies producing the system, then its a given that we’ll buy it.
It could well be too.
I don’t know about MOTS being stopped in its tracks. Baroness Goldie said precisely the opposite in the House of Lords a few days ago. She has been urging the MOD to buy what they need when they need it and to ignore ‘other’ considerations. In short to buy it off the shelf.
Basically Blair / Brown were looking at how to cut defence procurement costs so as to spend more on their priorities.
One way of funding this was a UK FMS tax the other was cut R&D.
The aggressiveness with which Washington told TB to go away stung him. He assumed that given his relationship with Bush it would be easy. Bush was not interested as it would never fly.in the House.
Interesting report coming out of Ukraine. Seems Patriot system is capable enough to shoot down Mad Vlad’s Zircon uninterceptable hypersonic.
That is encouraging. If an updated 20 year old weapon system can do the job the Aster 30NT and CAMM are likely able to do the same.
Wonder where Johnski is to refute this and to inform us that Russia has the technological edge and is winning the war.
Oh and Moskva is still afloat and no Russia hasn’t suffered 100,000 casualties including 20,000 dead in the battle for Bakhmut.
Don’t believe it.
They hit a Kinzhal which is an air launched Iskander missile.
Aster has already proven is can shoot down short to medium range ballistic targets.
The CAMM for Poland will be CAMM-ER with Italian Avio engine.
Source: shephard media