HMS Illustrious to join Exercise Joint Warrior

Destroyer HMS Dragon will join 34 other Nato vessels during the training off the UK coast

The helicopter and commando carrier HMS Illustrious will be among 12 Royal Navy ships taking part in a major military exercise starting next Monday.

Joint Warrior is one of Europe's largest Nato training events and is held twice a year.

Cape Wrath in the Highlands and the Moray Firth will be among the places in Scotland where training will be held.

Thirty-five warships, 25 different types of aircraft and about 13,000 personnel will take part.

HMS Illustrious will be among 12 Royal Navy warships on Exercise Joint Warrior

The numbers involve vessels, aircraft and ground troops from the US, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, France, Holland and Denmark.

The other UK vessels include the Royal Navy's flagship, HMS Bulwark, and Type 45 destroyer HMS Dragon.

RAF and Nato aircraft will fly out of RAF Lossiemouth in Moray during Joint Warrior, which will run until 11 April.

Joint Warrior trains personnel for counter-piracy and combat operations.