TRIDENT JUNCTURE LIVEX ENTERS NEW PHASE

NATO warships have performed complex manoeuvres in close formation this morning. The 18 warships are just one third of the fleet NATO is operating in the Mediterranean on Exercise Trident Juncture.

Officer of the Watch Manoeuvres are designed to test the communications systems, as well as command and control systems between the warships. It also builds on and develops the trust between the participants that have been built up over the last four weeks of the exercise.

The exercise started at the beginning of October with virtual, ‘table top’ scenario designed to test the planning processes and command relationships of NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunsumm with headquarters in Italy, Spain and afloat in the Royal Navy’s Flagship, HMS Ocean. This was followed by ‘Livex’, where the scenario was transferred from theoretical discussion to the real world. For the 60 NATO’s warships, this has meant a series of amphibious raids, anti-submarine drills and air defence exercises against Typhoon Eurofighters.

This intensive training was simply the preparation for the next, ‘Theatre Entry’ phase, as the warships form up to fight their way through a ‘choke point’ on international sea lanes, in order to bring decisive force to bear on their fictional opponents. Rear Admiral Tony Radakin, Commander UK Maritime Forces, is the man in charge of NATO’s Maritime Forces not only for Exercise Trident Juncture, but throughout 2016. He said: