OTTAWA: More than 900 sailors and airmen of the Canadian Armed Forces have departed to participate in a joint multinational NATO exercise in Britain, the National Defense Department said on Tuesday.

Exercise Joint Warrior, scheduled for April 15-25, is the largest military tactical exercise in Europe designed to prepare NATO military forces to work together in a variety of missions from providing humanitarian aid to full-combat operations.

It will involve the participation of close to 13,000 military personnel, 55 vessels, and up to 40 aircraft from various NATO nations over the ten-day period.

Canadian Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay said in a press release that this exercise presents an excellent opportunity for the Canadian Armed Forces to build and strengthen interoperability and combat effectiveness with their NATO allies.

“Our sailors and aircrew will conduct realistic training to enhance the various tactics, techniques, and procedures that they will employ on behalf of the government of Canada in a variety of operational scenarios both at home and abroad,” he added.

Canada’s warships Preserver, Iroquois, and St. John’s departed the Atlantic port city of Halifax on Tuesday accompanied by Air Force personnel and aircraft including two CH-124 Sea King helicopters.

In addition, two CP-140 Aurora aircraft will join the ships upon their arrival in Britain.

Commodore Darren Hawco, Commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic, will assume command of one of the main Joint Warrior Task Groups, consisting of six Canadian and British warships.

During the transit of the Atlantic Ocean, the Canadian warships will conduct a series of unit-level and task group-level exercises in preparation for future operations.