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  • UK hosts Europe's largest Military Exercise

    Multinational forces will be training off Scotland this weekend as part of Europe's largest military exercise.

    Exercise Joint Warrior will be hosted in the UK and will incorporate all 3 UK armed services: the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force (RAF).

    The exercise, which began on 25 March, will engage more than 35 warships, 25 different types of aircraft, and a total of nearly 13,000 personnel from the various participating nations, which include the USA, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, France, Holland and Denmark.

    Ships, submarines, aircraft and ground troops from the UK, US and other allies will be taking part, battling each other at sea, in the air and on land in an area which stretches from the Irish Sea, north to Cape Wrath and east to the Moray Firth.

    Exercise Joint Warrior represents a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the range of capabilities available for contingency operations and provides excellent training which tests the high readiness capabilities of the armed forces.

    Read more: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/u...st-of-scotland

    i was at the British Army's primary location in Upavon yesterday and it really is some set-up.

    great to see so many nations involved and such media interest in the event with over 40 different media agencies in attendance yesterday.

    i'd post more pics and links however I'm in under a poncho in a Harbour Area right now!
    RGJ

    ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

    The Rifles

  • #2
    I know some people there from our side.

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    • #3
      I thought Europe's largest exercise this year was the Russian one with over 100,000 troops prior to them taking the Crimea?

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      • #4
        Originally posted by kerstinnordstrum View Post
        I know some people there from our side.
        Which side is that.?

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        • #5
          i don't think ONH are taking part (someone put me right?), but genuine question - given this exercise stretches from the Irish Sea to beyond - what part are the NS playing?
          RGJ

          ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

          The Rifles

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          • #6
            briefing on the exercise...



            nice to see a fellow Rifleman at the helm
            RGJ

            ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

            The Rifles

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            • #7
              Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post
              i don't think ONH are taking part (someone put me right?), but genuine question - given this exercise stretches from the Irish Sea to beyond - what part are the NS playing?
              as far as i'm aware, none. in invite was sent, as one is for every JW, but no (official) interest...

              the land based stuff is mainly in Dumfries and Galloway - a Littoral Naval ex and Amphib and Para/Airmobile landing at Luce Bay West Freugh, helicopter FOB at West Freugh, Rapier firing at Benbecula, strike, CAS and NGFS at Cafe Wrath. an hours leisurely flying time from Baldonell in an AW139...

              yes, i can see why the IG would have no interest...
              Last edited by ropebag; 31 March 2014, 11:06.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by ropebag View Post
                as far as i'm aware, none. in invite was sent, as one is for every JW, but no (official) interest...

                the land based stuff is mainly in Dumfries and Galloway - an Amphib and Para/Airmobile landing at West Freugh, helicopter FOB's at West Freugh and Carlisle, Rapier firing at Benbecula, strike, CAS and NGFS at Cafe Wrath. half an hours leisurely flying time from Belfast...
                ONH and in particular the NS are missing a trick here and the opportunity to get more involved with their European neighbours - as a result of lack of interest from their politicians that hold the purse strings.

                it's a clear sign that Ireland doesn't want to project itself militarily among other nations if it can't be bothered to turn up for Europe's largest military exercise on it's own doorstep.

                surely some of the money Ireland borrowed in the bail-out is allowed to be spent on defence?

                missed opportunity - big time.
                RGJ

                ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                The Rifles

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by sofa View Post
                  Which side is that.?
                  Denmark

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                  • #10
                    ONH and in particular the NS are missing a trick here and the opportunity to get more involved with their European neighbours - as a result of lack of interest from their politicians that hold the purse strings.
                    Precisely.The politicians have no interest.We will be sending troops to the Cambrian patrol and Arduous serpent and to a few more things that can't be discussed here.But they are all small,relatively inexpensive,ventures.Spending big money on JW would be a massive political own goal in the current climate here.
                    it's a clear sign that Ireland doesn't want to project itself militarily among other nations if it can't be bothered to turn up for Europe's largest military exercise on it's own doorstep.
                    Give me a break."cant be bothered"? If we could afford to we would.And we do just fine "projecting ourselves" in all the UN missions we participate in.
                    surely some of the money Ireland borrowed in the bail-out is allowed to be spent on defence?
                    Are you serious? Really?
                    missed opportunity - big time.
                    Perhaps.Or not.
                    "Let us be clear about three facts. First, all battles and all wars are won in the end by the infantryman. Secondly, the infantryman always bears the brunt. His casualties are heavier, he suffers greater extremes of discomfort and fatigue than the other arms. Thirdly, the art of the infantryman is less stereotyped and far harder to acquire in modern war than that of any other arm." ------- Field Marshall Wavell, April 1945.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by RoyalGreenJacket View Post
                      ...surely some of the money Ireland borrowed in the bail-out is allowed to be spent on defence?

                      missed opportunity - big time.
                      what would it really cost - you'd be burning the same heli fuel you'd be using anyway, does Deisel cost more when the OPV its powering is firing 57mm at Cape Wrath than when its loitering off Cork?

                      the Bde Ops Officer is being paid the same whether he's playing with himself in Cathal Bruga or working in the Amphib Cell on HMS Illustrious, the Inf Sergeant is paid the same whether he's doing a range package at the Glen or running off a Chinook in the first wave of troops establishing a multi-national FOB, the AD Gunner is being paid the same whether he's doing a dry run of the RBS-70 launch procedure as when he's doing a live fire at Benbecula...

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                      • #12
                        It's the political cost more so

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by apod View Post
                          ...Spending big money on JW...
                          spending 'big money' on JW would require sending a full, all-arms BG and all the shipping/airlift/logs that would entail - sending 20-odd staff/observer Officers/SNCO's, a couple of FST's and a pair of AW139's and their air and ground crews would cost nothing, not least because when JW is on, Scotland groans under the weight of the airlilft that arrives to support it.

                          persuading the US, or Canadians, or Dutch, or Norwegians, or Swedes, or French etc... to lend you the inside of a C-130 for a return trip from Baldonell to West Freugh would be about as difficult as licking an ice cream on a hot day.

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                          • #14
                            apod - i did say it is political - of course the soldiers and sailors of ONH and the NS would want to go - who wouldn't?

                            but as ropebag pointed out - there is no massive costs involved.

                            and what do you mean - 'perhaps' it may not be a missed opportunity?

                            isn't missing any joint training with other nations and in particular your closest neighbour who is hosting the regions largest training exercise a missed opportunity?

                            or would you be better off alone in the Glen instead of having your FAC's calling in some Fast-Air or coordinating CAS, and have the NS patrolling the Atlantic - alone, instead of working with other nations and providing some valuable input and perhaps deploying boarding parties with other European navies?
                            Last edited by RoyalGreenJacket; 31 March 2014, 12:52.
                            RGJ

                            ...Once a Rifleman - Always a Rifleman... Celer et Audax

                            The Rifles

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Many years ago, Purple Warrior as it was back in 1987...we were there!
                              The Government was invited to deploy, refused as usual but our skipper decided to nip up and we were there in a unnofficial capacity until the Brits started to get nervous about an intelligence gathering vessel and we asked to move him on.

                              Didn't see any of the land warfare side of things but were in contact with a few RN vessels. HMS Danae being our 'shadow' also got to moon. one of the aircraft carriers.

                              Every aeroplane in place decided to take a look at us , so it was a free airshow.

                              Our Sonar operator made his first submarine contact...which wasn't participating in the exercise and vanished off screen a 30kts + submerged..away from the exercise area.

                              The good old days.
                              Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

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