Tag: military

What’s The Noise? Planning exercise with firearms at Murrayfield today

Exercise Kukri Dawn firearms training at Murrayfield Stadium

Police Scotland is working with the military as part of a training exercise. Exercise Kukri Dawn, led and managed by the RAF, is taking place from 23 February until 13 March 2026.

It was previously exercised in 2025. One of the objectives is to further improve and test how the military work with the police. Planning for the latest round of exercising and scenario has been ongoing for months.

TODAY (Tuesday 3 March), armed policing will be involved in a firearms training scenario at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. This means the public may see armed police officers and military personnel, as well as military helicopters, arriving at Murrayfield.

The public will also hear blank ammunition being used from around 1.30pm – 2.30pm.

There will be no public access to Murrayfield during this time and nothing will be seen once those involved are placed inside the grounds.

Exercises are a crucial way for different organisations to learn, share knowledge and work well together. It’s important for exercises to be as realistic as possible to fully test a multi-agency response.

The public should rightly expect Police Scotland, alongside other organisations, to practice and strengthen our response to major incidents.

Police are working with the stadium who will be notifying residents in the surrounding area.

Edinburgh based reserves put through paces ahead of NATO training

Two Aberdeenshire born reserve soldiers from The Royal Regiment of Scotland have just returned home after completing an intensive weekend training exercise in the wild terrain and harsh weather conditions of the Pentlands.

Private David Gray (25), whose civilian job is a butcher, and Private Cameron Gillies (26), who works in Public Affairs in Edinburgh, spent their weekend undertaking the highly challenging patrol exercise designed to test the physical fitness and robustness, mental resilience, navigation, and military knowledge.

The soldiers took part in the exercise alongside other troops and had to navigate between a series of checkpoints and conduct a military task at each stand. One stand included a test of how quickly they could treat a casualty and extract them to a safe area 1km away from the incident point.

Troops will progress onto more arduous training in the months ahead and are currently working towards being selected for the Cambrian Patrol in Wales in October this year – widely considered to be NATO’s toughest patrolling test.

Private David Gillies, a reservist in the Royal Regiment of Scotland, said: “My civilian role is a different type of pressure, dealing with legislation and briefing politicians.

“The army reserve gives me the chance to do something completely different, to challenge myself and be surrounded with like-minded people who are committed to serving their country.

“Training weekends after a full working week is tough, but I love it – and it keeps me fit when I’m away from my desk”.

Military boosts Scotland’s vaccine roll-out programme

The number of military staff assisting with the autumn/winter vaccination programme has been increased to support the acceleration of the booster roll-out in Scotland.

With the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, all those aged 18 and over will be offered a booster jab by the end of the year with everyone aged 18-59 currently invited to book an appointment via the online portal or attend a drop-in clinic.

An additional 100 military vaccinators are joining the existing 100 staff who are working to help with the roll-out. There are also 15 nurses and six support staff currently assisting with the programme and this support will remain in place until 28 February.

The new personnel will undergo final training before delivering vaccinations from next week. Discussions are taking place to ensure they are deployed where they are needed most and this will kept under continual review with staff reassigned when appropriate.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We are so grateful to everyone who has been involved in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Scotland, including the military, which has ensured more than 10.5 million doses – first, second, third and boosters – have already been delivered.

“We are now in the midst of an extremely busy period for the national autumn/winter vaccination programme with COVID-19 booster injections being offered to all those aged 18 and over.

“The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is adding to the winter pressures usually faced by the NHS which is why we have again requested military support to complement our existing resources and ensure we can get vaccinations into arms as quickly as possible.

“Demand for boosters may mean you may have to wait in a queue at drop-in centres but we urge everyone to be patient.

“At this time it is also particularly important that we continue to take all precautions to prevent transmission. So test regularly for the virus, limit socialising in the run up to Christmas, wear face marks where required and open windows to improve ventilation.”

The Scottish Government will publish updated Covid guidance for businesses later today.

In a further development, HM Treasury has rejected an appeal for additional cash to support Scottish businesses.

Scotland’s finance secretary Kate Forbes wrote to the Chancellor last night, but the UK Government said devolved governments are getting the certainty they had requested.

Doubtless this argument will rumble on …