Home Europe 13-nation naval drill Joint Warrior kicks off in the Atlantic

13-nation naval drill Joint Warrior kicks off in the Atlantic

US F-35Bs on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth
US F-35Bs on the flight deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth for exercise Joint Warrior. Photo: Royal Navy

All ships taking part in the UK-led naval exercise Joint Warrior got underway for the second phase of the maneuver on October 3.

JW 20-2 is taking place in the Atlantic Ocean and incorporates surface, subsurface, airborne, and land assets providing joint training in a multi-threat environment for NATO units. It is also an opportunity for a certification of Forward-Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF), preparing them to operate as part of a Combined/Joint Task Force.

“Joint Warrior is our premier venue for recertifying our ships for fleet operations, and the synergy with the Royal Navy could not be better,” said US Navy Capt. Joseph Gagliano, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 65. “We count on them to keep our ships ready, and they can always count on our commitment to security in this theater.”

The US Navy and Marine Corps join maritime, land, and air units from NATO allied and partner nations for this iteration, which is scheduled to include 28 ships, two submarines, 81 aircraft, and more than 6,000 service members from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the UK, and the US.

This exercise will be marked by the arrival of US Marine Corps F-35B jets to the UK for joint operations from Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Joint Warrior will prepare the Royal Navy and USMC for the aircraft carrier’s first operational deployment next year, when it will also have American F-35Bs on board.

US Navy assets taking part in Joint Warrior include Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Ross (DDG 71) and USS The Sullivans (DDG 68).