Forces gather for UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior

Warships, aircraft and thousands of personnel have begun arriving in Scotland for a UK-led military exercise.

Exercise Joint Warrior is usually held twice a year, in spring and autumn, but will only take place once in 2018.

This is due to other exercises due to take place later this year involving UK personnel.

Warships have been gathering in the Clyde ahead of Joint Warrior starting on Saturday.

Aircraft have also been arriving at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.

Live firing is expected to take place at the Tain and Cape Wrath ranges in the Highlands, with other training involving ships and aircraft in and around the Western Isles.

Running until 4 May, the exercise will involve more than 11,600 military personnel from 17 nations.

It will culminate in urban combat operations on Salisbury Plain Training Area on the 3 May, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.

This element of the exercise will involve troops from the Parachute Regiment, also the Danish Jutland Dragoon Regiment, Lithuanian "Iron Wolf" Brigade and the Latvian Mechanised Infantry Brigade.

Apache helicopter and Tornado jet squadrons will also take part.

The MoD said the training scenarios would involve counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling activity, information warfare and evacuation operations.