The Royal Navy and other Nato forces will take part in training exercises in the Outer Hebrides this month.

Military exercise Formidable Shield will involve personnel from 10 different nations including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the UK and the US.

During the three-week training, which starts on Monday, the Nato forces will hone their skills and test the latest technologies that would protect us from a ballistic missile threat.

There will also be activity at the Ministry of Defence Hebrides Missile Testing Range Sites on South Uist, Benbecula and St Kilda.

The exercise is to simulate real-world conditions in the event of an attack on a Nato ally.

While Nato has been supplying aid to Ukraine during its war with Russia, it remained out of the conflict due to Ukraine not being a Nato member.

However, Ukraine has aspirations to become a Nato member, which led to an escalation with Russia.

The alliance more than doubled its border with Russia when Finland joined Nato last month.

It will be Europe’s largest air and missile defence operation in 2023, with increased activity in the North and Norwegian seas.

Formidable Shield will run from May 8 until May 26.

It is similar to the Joint Warrior exercises held regularly off the north and west coasts.

Thousands of military personnel, as well as dozens of ships and submarines, take part in the war games.