There is a chance of increased military activity along the Ayrshire coast this week as one of Europe's largest naval exercises gets underway. 

Exercise Joint Warrior will take place between October 22 and November 2 and will see a series of training exercises and events in the north of Scotland and the North Sea by warships, submarines and aircraft.

The exercise is held at this time of year annually and sees ships of all shapes and sizes using Ayrshire as a base, with previous exercises seeing vessels dock at HMNB Clyde, Hunterston, and Greenock.

Aircraft have also been known to use Prestwick Airport as a base and staging area for the duration of the exercise. 

In previous years, participating NATO nations have included the UK, Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, France, Norway, Latvia, Germany, and the USA.

The exercise will be delivered by the Joint Training and Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) from HM Naval Base Portsmouth.