Fighter jets, submarines & warships scrambled off Scotland for NATO war games

A MAJOR NATO war games exercise will take place off the north coast of Scotland tomorrow.

More than 7,000 personnel will be afloat in vessels including aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, destroyers, frigates, patrol vessels, minehunters, submarines, and auxiliaries.

In addition, there will be approximately 100 fast jets and 30 helicopters involved, supported by surveillance, patrol, and air-to-air refuelling aircraft throughout.

The Royal Navy said: “It is the largest NATO exercise in decades, during which the Alliance will demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North America.”

This year, the bi-annual Exercise Joint Warrior will be part of this much bigger war games, with activity in Scottish waters from Monday until March 3.

Joint Warrior 241 will then lead into Exercise Nordic Response 24 with activity moving to the waters off Norway.

Nations included in the war games include the UK, United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Norway.

Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain will also take part.

The Royal Navy added: “Exercises like Joint Warrior are vital tools which allow the NATO Allied nations to work and train together in a realistic, but controlled environment.

“Military personnel have the opportunity to hone their skills and test the latest technologies in order to better protect NATO communities from ballistic missile threat.