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14 WING GREENWOOD - A team of CP-140 Aurora crewmembers, both air and ground, are competing in a major NATO exercise and competition this week and next at Royal Air Force Station Kinloss in Scotland. 

Maritime aviators from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, France and the United States are participating in Exercise NEPTUNE WARRIOR and the Fincastle competition between June 18 and July 1.

"The world is a volatile place and you never know what's going to happen with what nation or where the threats are going to come from, so it's always a great idea to train alongside our NATO Allies," says Captain Dave Dunwoody, a CP-140 Acoustic Sensor Operator / Navigator with 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron.  "We have our own doctrine, our own strategies and procedures that we carry out and it's great to see how we can employ those with other nations. It's a wonderful chance to learn from each other and to benefit from each other's skills and experiences and develop good trust and camaraderie."

NEPTUNE WARRIOR is a major UK-led maritime training exercise held three times a year off the coast of Scotland. The overall aim of the exercise is to prepare nations to work together successfully in maritime operations in a cohesive and effective manner. Neptune Warrior in particular provides a training environment that allows nations to practice their interoperability, develop common procedures and, to learn from each other.

The exercise was originally conceived during the Second World War to help the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force maintain an anti-submarine warfare capability.  Today, it allows countries such as Canada to conduct training in a coastal environment with navies and air forces of their fellow NATO allies. Conducted close to shore, Neptune Warrior allows participants to operate in a "littoral" or "brown water" environment as opposed to a deep or "blue water" environment which they are not always accustomed to.

Capt Dunwoody says crews from the various countries take turns playing the aggressor in a fictitious dispute over mineral rights.  "One day we could be the ‘good guys' and the next day we might be the' bad guys'; they really design different scenarios to provide different training for us and we take it from there."

Because the CP-140 is a multi-mission platform, capable of everything from anti-submarine warfare to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, exercises such as NEPTUNE WARRIOR test all facets of its capability, in a realistic environment.

This year, NEPTUNE WARRIOR will feature the Fincastle competition, a much-coveted maritime competition also dating back to the Second World War, which tests both air and ground crews on their professionalism, proficiency and precision.  Canadian maintenance crews have won the FINCASTLE Maintenance Trophy "the most times of any nation," according to Capt Dunwoody, who's hoping for a repeat at this year's competition.

Air and ground crews will be tested on their overall flight line operations, the quality of their support elements, their engineering skills and a team interview. 

Watch for updates on Exercise NEPTUNE WARRIOR and the Fincastle competition as the become available.