Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond is pictured turning at speed during Exercise Joint Warrior off the coast of Scotland.

Exercise Joint Warrior is taking place during April 13-29 in the waters off, skies above and soil of Scotland. More than a dozen Royal Navy (RN) warships and submarines are committed to the annual war game. British warships are joined by more than 30 visiting warships, 40 fixed-wing aircraft and 30 helicopters.

Alongside RN, RAF and Army personnel taking part in Joint Warrior, forces from the Netherlands, Canada, France, Denmark, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Sweden and German are involved – nearly 12,000 military personnel in all. Embarked onboard HMS Illustrious are Royal Marines from 42 Commando, Seakings from 845 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), a Merlin from 820 NAS, Chinooks from 27 Squadron RAF and Lynx helicopters from 659 Squadron Army Air Corps.

The scenario will cover a broad range of circumstances including evolving crisis and conflict situations which cover disputed territory, conventional and non-conventional maritime and amphibious threats such as counter-piracy and terrorist activity. The scenarios will develop over two weeks, increasing in tension and uncertainty into stimulated operations and potential state on state hostilities.

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