Vessels for one of the largest military exercises of its kind are expected to arrive in Fife next week.
Warships, submarines, military personnel and aircraft will take part in the multinational exercise.
Exercise Strike Warrior will be staged off the north coast of Scotland and is expected to bring 31 warships, three submarines, 150 aircraft and over 13,400 military personnel.
It is scheduled to take place for two weeks between May 8 and May 20, with the Firth of Forth expected to host some elements of the exercise.
HMS Queen Elizabeth, which was built in Rosyth, will deploy after the Exercise Strike Warrior, according to the Royal Navy.
Exercise Joint Warrior is the largest military exercise in Europe, bringing together the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army, as well as forces from other allied nations.
14 nations will take part in the joint exercise, including forces from France, Germany, the USA, Latvia, and Poland. Australia will also take part.
All three UK armed forces are expected to participate, with vessels due to arrive at Rosyth and in Leith ahead of the start of the exercise.
Port visits will be limited for essential logistical reasons through the exercise, and coronavirus control measures will be observed.
Scenarios posed throughout the operation will reflect potential real-life conflict and crisis situations.
Wide-ranging scenarios
Joint Warrior, named Strike Warrior for the two-week period, will include airborne assaults, amphibious landings, evacuations, and live-fire exercises.
Over the fortnight, participants will face increasing political and military tensions, along with a range of military tasks such as intelligence gathering and reconnaissance, anti-smuggling and counter-terrorism operations, humanitarian assistance, and evacuation operations.
The exercise runs through a range of scenarios, including crisis and conflict situations, that could be realistically encountered in operations, such as territory disputes, terrorist activity, and piracy.
The operation has been planned by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) based at Northwood in London.