We’re conducting a pilot land-based cetacean survey off the west coast of Scotland where residents, commercial boat operators and scientists alike have reported declines in whales and dolphins over the last decade when naval exercises are happening in the local area. Over the next two weeks we are expecting Joint Warrior, the biggest exercise in Europe and reportedly one of the biggest navy exercises of all time, to occur in the waters around us. Nine allied countries are to be involved and a total of 29 ships and 4 submarines. Conducting sightings from land means that we can monitor a larger area and watch the movement of whales and dolphins in the local area without influencing their behaviour.

Royal Navy
HMS Ark Royal (R07)
HMS Bulwark (L15)
HMS Manchester (D95)
HMS Gloucester (D96)
HMS Cornwall (F99)
HMS Argyll (F231)
RFA Fort Austin (A386)
RFA Bayleaf (A109)
RFA Mounts Bay (L3008)
HMS Turbulent (S87)

Denmark
HDMS Thetis (F357)

France
FS Tonnere (L9014)
FS Jaguar (A750)
FS Lion (A755)

Netherlands
HNLMS Johan de Witt (L801)
HNLMS Amsterdam (A836)
HNLMS Rotterdam (L800)
HNLMS Maasluis (M856)
HNLMS Makkum (M857)
HNLMS Dolfijn (S808)

Norway
KNM Utsira (S301)

United States
USS Mitscher (DDG 57)
USS Doyle (FFG 39)
USS Klakring (FFG 42)
USS Hawes (FFG 53)
USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195)
USS Jacksonville (SSN 699)


Still an incomplete list.

Interesting to note, SNMG1, SNMG2, SNMCMG1 and SNMCMG2 all completed NATO Response Force 12 (NRF12) exercise yesterday [the 10th]. The exercise was two weeks long. Can anyone recall the last time all four major NATO groups exercised together? Had to have been many years ago.