Royal Navy: HMS Defender to take part in major NATO sponsored Exercise Joint Warrior with warships from 9 other countries

HMS Defender, a type 45 destroyer, will be among vessels from the UK and nine other countries which will be participating in the NATO sponsored Exercise Joint Warrior. 

The bi-annual military exercise is set to start on Sunday and will run until Thursday, April 11. 

Exercise Joint Warrior is the largest of its kind in Europe and can involved up to 13,000 military personnel from all three British armed forces as well as NATO and other allied countries. 

Vessels from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK will join HMS Defender in taking part in the exercise over the coming weeks. 

Exercise Join Warrior is organised by the Ministry of Defence and will take place off the west coast of Scotland this year. 

Glasgow trip

HMS Defender has visited Glasgow, her affiliated city, on her way up to take part in the military exercise. 

She spent four-days in the Scottish city and hosted dozens of community groups and organisations during her stop-over. 

During her visit to Glasgow, HMS Defender even opened her doors to some 4,000 members of the public on Sunday, March 24. 

Among the groups touring the Type 45 vessel were shipbuilders from BAE Systems Surface Fleet involved in the construction of Defender, as well as students from Glasgow Universities and Colleges who were there to improve their knowledge of the Royal Navy.

One group of guests had a special thank you gift for the ship.

HND Professional Cookery Students from City of Glasgow College’s Faculty of Hospitality and Catering brought along a chocolate replica of the ship’s crest for the crew to enjoy.

Constructed at BAE in Govan and launched from Scotstoun, HMS Defender is one of six Daring class Destroyers whose main role is to protect the Fleet from air attack.