Missiles will fly over the Hebrides as NATO conducts live fire testing in Scotland and Norway.
Between Monday May 5 and Friday May 23, the alliance will conduct drills off Andøya in northern Norway and at the South Uist Rocket Range and St Kilda site.
Participating nations include Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, UK, and the United States, with Australia providing a radar sensor for data collection.
Close to 7,000 personnel will take part in Operation Formidable Shield 2025, with more than 16 ships and 27 aircraft involved.
Some of those vessels have been spotted making their way to the Hebrides, with the Greenock Telegraph showing images of the French frigate FS Normandie on the River Clyde.
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The exercise, which takes place every two years, will feature live fire against uncrewed aircraft and surface systems as well as subsonic, supersonic, and ballistic targets, and will be led by the 6th Fleet of the U.S Navy which is headquartered in Naples, Italy.
Live firing will take place off Andøya from May 5 to 10 before the exercise continues at the Hebrides firing range.
Capt. Michael Dwan, Commander, Task Group 154.64 and STRIKFORNATO’s U.S. Maritime Ballistic Missile Defense Assets Advisor said: "There is simply no substitute for the training and learning that occurs when we operate in these intensely realistic scenarios.
"Training as a collective using NATO command and control reporting structure forges the bonds of interoperability and strengthens the alliance as a whole.
"Exercises like ASD/FS are critical for refining our collective integrated air and missile defense capabilities, ensuring we can respond effectively to any threat from any direction and maintain a credible deterrent posture.”
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