Air, sea and ground ‘assets’ from allies and NATO forces are already arriving at Argyll’s Faslane to take part in Operation Joint Warrior 092 in Scottish waters and coastal areas. This is a coalition exercise designed and led by the UK’s Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS). It is designed to improve interoperability between coalition naval forces, preparing participants for upcoming deployments.
The participating American Navy ships are at sea and on their way. Correct information in these participants has been supplied by the excellent Clydesights website in the comment below. The guided missile frigate USS John L Hall (FFG 32), and guided missile destroyers Ramage (DDG 61) and Cole (DDG 67) and the oiler Laramie (T-AO 203) are taking part, leaving Norfolk on September 23 to join the other ships in the exercise.
The US Navy sees the relationships made during Joint Warrior as vital to ensure the country is ready to engage in a host of global maritime security operations. It sees itself becoming more effective by operating with allied navies and leveraging individual strengths. This builds trust and mutual cooperation, making the allies a more capable combined force in a real-time operational environment.
The scenario in Autumn 2009 is to be a simulated war with three nations fighting over disputed territory and with state sponsored terrorism an element of the situation.
As well as the USA and the UK, forces from Canada (sending 4 ships), Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Turkey and Brazil are participating in Joint Warrior.
Ships are gathering at the UK Submarine Base at Faslane for the exercise and the base is to house around 100 exercise personnel.
The Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious, will be taking the lead role in the exercise. Her Harrier GR9 jets will be among 50 warplanes flying about 75 sorties a day. Two Type 23 frigates, HMS Northumberland and HMS Portland are taking part. There will also be 4 submarines involved, 2 from Norway, 1 from the UK and 1 from France. (Let’s hope that the last two are not, respectively Vanguard and Le Trionphant – as their last meeting in an underwater collision, was injurious to both.)
There will be helicopters from the UK, Canada, Brazil, the USA and Denmark and fixed wing planes from the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Norway and the USA.
The UK, Belgium and the US Marines are to supply the ground forces involved.
As with all boys wargames, there will be live firing but this is to be confined to weapons ranges across the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) says that steps have been taken to make sure that the exercise does not disrupt some ‘environmentally sensitive conservation zones’ in which it will be operating.
Two points here:
- It is impossible for such areas not to be disrupted by such activities.
- Why is permission given for military exercises of this full blooded, muti-national kind to use environmentally sensitive conservation zones at all?
The MoD also says that this ‘protection’ is to be extended to ‘important economic activities’ such as farming, fishing and tourism.
It is worth noting that last year’s Joint Warrior 082 operation caused what was thought to be and measured officially as an earthquake. This disturbed a significant area of the west coast includsing Glen Shiel and as far inland as Drumnadrochit on Loch Ness. It was caused by deep mine clearance training in The Minch.
Damage has already been done to Scotland’s transport infrastructure in preparations for this exercise. Laxford Bridge, a key road junction in the Highlands had to be closed when a miltary Drops Transporter on the A838 from Lairg to Durness in Sutherland for the exercise came off the road at the bridge, plunging into the river. Two gunners escaped with minor injuries.
The road has been reopened to light traffic – vehicles of up to 7.5 tonnes – but remains closed to HGVs which will have to follow diversions. Temporary barriers have been erected at the damaged parapet.
Note: Clydesights is worth keeping an eye on for photographs of participating ships caught on passage. It has one just now of Brazilian Navy frigate, Defensora, arriving for Joint Warrior.
Interestingly, CLydesights also has a shot of HMS Vanguardon the move - saying that she may be working up after repairs following her kiss and tell with French nuclear submarine, Le Trionphant, earlier this year and which we reported.
The list of US warships given above is, in fact, the list of the participants in last year’s autumn exercise. This year, The guided missile frigate USS JOHN L HALL (FFG 32), and guided missile destroyers RAMAGE (DDG 61) and COLE (DDG 67) are taking part, and Norfolk on September 23 to join the other ships in the exercise. The oiler LARAMIE (T-AO 203) is also taking part.
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