Barents Observer – The new Arctic operation base will support Britain’s commandos for the next ten years. By the way, the Norwegians don’t call it a “base” because the country’s self-imposed restraints don’t allow for allied countries to stay permanent.

USNI News – Britain’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) has issued a pre-procurement notice for a unique type of vessel to help the Royal Marine Commandos. The document outlines an ‘uncrewed surface and subsurface vessel’ (USSV). The vessel must be multi-payload, have a low signature, and long endurance, according to the notice.

Daily Mail – A near undetectable drone disguised as a manta ray will soon be deployed by the Royal Marines for surveillance of warships and submarines.

(Thanks to Alain)

IISS – The newly established Littoral Response Group is part of a broader initiative to adapt the United Kingdom’s amphibious forces to operate in a more dispersed and agile way. This new formation could be as significant to future UK maritime operations as the Carrier Strike Group, but questions remain about how the concept will now develop. 

StrategyPage – Britain is implementing a lot of their Future Commando Force modernization measures in 2021. These include new combat equipment, weapons, organizational concepts and tactics. One example of the new organizational concepts are two new commando units called Royal Marines Vanguard Strike Companies (VSC).

War Zone – Whether on land or at sea, Britain’s secretive Special Boat Service has a history of getting the toughest jobs done. 

BBC – Sixteen members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) ended a 10-hour standoff which started when stowaways on board the Liberian-registered Nave Andromeda reportedly became violent.

– USNI News – The retirement last year of the Royal Navy’s biggest assault ship – the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean – was accompanied by dire warnings in the British press of the imminent demise of the country’s entire amphibious warfighting capability. On Wednesday, the head of the Royal Marines, flanked by two senior colleagues and a navy commodore, overturned the forecasts by outlining bold new plans to return the United Kingdom’s sea soldiers to their maritime roots.

– BBC – Cutting the number of Royal Marines and the ships they use to carry out beach landings would significantly undermine UK security, MPs have warned.

– War on the Rocks – In the last few days, the British press and social media have been rife with reports that the Royal Marines are to be reduced by 1000 from their present establishment of 6,500. In addition, the amphibious fleet may be similarly reduced with the decommissioning of the landing platform dock that is the core of the British ready capability and the possible disposal of both that ship and a sister unit held in reserve. This scheme is one option being considered as part of a “mini defense review” underway in the UK.

– The Guardian – The Royal Marines will lose 200 posts as the Royal Navy seeks to reshuffle its staff before the arrival of a new generation of vessels.

– BBC – Royal Marines are training US Marines how to survive and fight in the Arctic.

– Daily Telegraph – British commandos have stormed an Italian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somalia pirates in the Indian Ocean, rescuing the crew and capturing nearly a dozen pirates.

BBC – Nuclear subs collide in Atlantic

The ballistic missile submarines HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant were badly damaged in a crash in the mid-Atlantic in heavy seas earlier this month.

New York Times – French and British Submarines Collide

The Times – French sub unaware it rammed Royal Navy vessel in mid-Atlantic nuclear crash

BBC – UK forces take key Taleban bases

BBC – Voices from the Afghan front line

StrategyPage – The Royal Marines Show How It’s Done

British troops in Afghanistan captured four key Taleban strongholds after an 18-day offensive in Helmand Province.

Defense Technology International – Royal Marines of Whiskey Company (45 Commando) relieved 2 PARA Battle Group at Sangin on October 10, 2008. The Royal Marines will operate in Helmand Province, Afghanistan from Sangin for the next six months.

Daily Telegraph – With the Royal Marines in action in Afghanistan.
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The Times – As Nato begins its biggest offensive in the country since 2001, two Times journalists report from a risky mission into the insurgentsí heartland in lawless Helmand province. The Royal Marines of J Company, 42 Commando, sometimes sat down with local Pashtuns and sometimes skirmished. Then they fought them in pitched battle.
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The Times – The Marines need to set up a secure zone for civilian workers. First they must defeat an elusive enemy that wages a hit-and-run campaign from its labyrinthine mud compounds. Anthony Loyd and Richard Mills of The Times joined 200 Royal Marines in an operation to secure a dam site in Afghanistan
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Daily Telegraph – With the Royal Marines in Afghanistan.
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Daily Mail – With 42 Commando in Afghanistan.
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Daily Telegraph – A look at the activities of 42 Commando in Afghanistan. Hundreds of British soldiers in southern Afghanistan are unable to venture outside their fortified bases because of a “critical” threat from suicide bombers.
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Daily Telegraph – British troops will be ordered to conduct “seek and destroy” operations in southern Afghanistan, despite an explicit government assurance that this would not happen.
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Daily Telegraph – A battle has broken out over the role of the first Army commando unit to be formed since the Second World War, with the Royal Marines claiming that the infantry lack “the suitable calibre” to join their force.
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Scotsman – A team of elite Royal Marines Commandos is preparing to leaving for Afghanistan. In total, 150 men from 42 Commando are to head for their mission in the Helmand province.
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