Exercise Formidable Shield 19 started off Scotland.

On May 07, exercise Formidable Shield 19 started at the MoD's Hebrides Range located on the Western Isles of Scotland. The US 6th Fleet is taking the lead of the exercises, which will end on May 19.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) fires a Mark 45 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise as part of exercise Formidable Shield (FS) 2017 (Picture Source: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Cameron Stoner/Released)

The purpose of Formidable Shield is to improve allied interoperability in a live-fire integrated air and missile (IAMD) environment, using NATO command and control reporting structures.

Nine nations will participate by sending ships, including Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. While Belgium and Germany will also contribute to the event with staff officers embarking with the Task Group IAMD.

Captain Jonathan Lipps, Deputy Commander for Task Force 64, US Navy 6th Fleet, said that “The range here provides a great opportunity to integrate the forces of the alliance, the members of the task force, the water space and the air space that we need to execute this fight. It’s of vital importance."

"There are few places in the world that we can conduct this type of operation. Here we can do it safely and capture the lessons learned that we need to build for the future.” he then added.

Steve Fitz-Gerald, Managing Director Maritime, Land and Weapons, QinetiQ said that “Being able to undertake such complex and important exercises is vital for the UK’s future defence capability. In the MOD Hebrides Range, we have a truly world-class capability on our doorstep that is attractive to international customers and Formidable Shield demonstrates what the facility is capable of."