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Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images captured show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator. 26th to 30th November 2012
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
Alpha Company 40 Commando Royal Marines on operations in Nahr-e Saraj, Central Helmand.
Photographs by L(Phot) Rhys Oleary – MOD/Crown Copyright 2013
Guam (March 19, 2018) - U.S. Marines with Force Reconnaissance Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force; British Royal Marines with J Company, 42 Commando and Sailors with Explosive Ordinance Disposal Mobile Unit 5 conduct special insertion and raids training with a section of MH-60Ss from Helicopter Sea Combat 25. The units are conducting joint, combined training in order to develop shared standard-of-procedures in a visit, board, search and seizure environment so they can provide a more flexible and mission-ready capability to geographic combatant commanders in the Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Carl King) 180319-M-MO883-098
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Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
This is my entry for the Mega Man 10 weekly Robot Masters fan art contest.
www.capcom-unity.com/jgonzo/blog/2010/01/18/the_weekly_me...
Pictured: British Army Commando from 7 (Sphinx) Commando Battery , 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
HMS Albion’s embarked royal Marines from X Coy 45 Cdo RM operating in Estonia in the main amphibious element of Exercise Spring Storm 2023.
Royal Marines conduct beach raid in Estonia during NATO exercise.
Around 100 marines from 45 Commando conducted an exercise to stage an amphibious raid at a beach in Estonia, as part of a major NATO exercise Members of 45 Commando deployed from the Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, under the cover of darkness on Saturday.
The commandos manoeuvred their Inflatable Raiding Craft, which can travel at speeds of up to 20knots, through the waves to close in on the beach at Kaberneeme, on the north coast of Estonia.
The beach raid is just the latest in a series of planned scenarios the UK Armed Forces are exercising as part of a 14,000-strong deployment from 11 NATO countries for Exercise Spring Storm.
The beach raid scenario saw 45 Commando facing off against Estonia’s Armed Forces, with an Estonian naval missile unit acting as the marines’ target.
Photo: LPhot Bill Spurr
Het 2 Bataljon Commando traint in Tsjechië
Het 2 Bataljon Commando (2 Cdo) is op zondag 1 maart vertrokken naar het militaire oefenterrein van Boletice, in het zuiden van Tsjechië. Daar trainen ze gedurende twee weken om zich voor te bereiden op hun deelname aan de snelle NAVO-reactiemacht (NRF), die in januari 2016 van start gaat.
De snelle reactiemacht van de NAVO bestaat uit land-, lucht- en maritieme componenten en uit Special Forces, die de alliantie over heel de wereld snel kan inzetten.
“We bereiden ons al sinds januari 2015 voor op onze deelname aan de NRF” zegt luitenant-kolonel Vincent Pierard, korpscommandant van het 2 Bataljon Commando “Onze eerste oefening vond plaats in het Nederlandse Amersfoort, waar we een stafoefening hielden.”
Na de training voor de staf van het bataljon is het nu de beurt aan de militairen op het terrein. De eerste week van de trainingsperiode oefenen de paracommando’s van het 2 Cdo op de uitvoering van sectie- en pelotonsaanvallen. Van vrijdag 6 tot zondag 8 maart bleven de militairen non-stop op het terrein tijdens een veldtrainingsoefening. Hierbij kregen ze verschillende scenario’s voorgeschoteld, zoals een explosievenopslagplaats die ze moesten ontruimen of gijzelaars die ze moesten bevrijden. De tweede week werden de compagniecommandanten op de proef gesteld. Van 9 tot 11 maart ontplooiden ze hun compagnieën op de schietstanden met lucht-, genie- en artilleriesteun.
“De komende maanden houden we nog verschillende oefeningen, zodat we klaar zijn voor de grote evaluatieoefening die de NAVO eind september organiseert”, vertelt luitenant-kolonel Pierard. “In november ten slotte nemen we deel aan een laatste oefening voordat onze standby-periode begint. Die zal plaatsvinden in Spanje en alle landen die deelnemen aan de NRF 2016 zullen er aanwezig zijn.”
Photo's: Daniel Orban
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator.
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
Royal Marines of 40 Commando taking part in PROJECT HERMOD LIVEX.
PROJECT HERMOD was a capability demonstration to mark the Defence Integrated Review (IR).
Taking place on RFA Mounts Bay and at Bovington training area, it displayed Multi-Domain Integration (MDI) within Defence as part of a transformation programme.
Trained for rapid worldwide deployment, the troops of 40 Commando are highly skilled, adaptable, and capable of combating a wide range of threats.
The unit are at the forefront of innovation as commandos go back to their roots as raiders from the sea and embrace new technologies to help their specialised operations around the world.
Since its formation in 1942, 40 Commando has served in every major British conflict, playing a pivotal role in several notable campaigns and operations.
Photos: LPhot Phil Bloor
Credit: UK Ministry of Defence 2021
Small teams of Royal Marines are conducting discreet Reconnaissance exercises in freezing conditions deep inside the Arctic Circle.
A small team from the Surveillance Reconnaissance Squadron of 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group landed in small inflatable boats to conduct a technical reconnaissance mission on the shores of an Arctic fjord.
The Squadron’s Shore Reconnaissance Team carried out a survey of the area, studying the surroundings to establish a beachhead for amphibious forces to crash ashore and attack enemy positions.
This essential training ensures the specialist team are razor sharp for operations, no matter how extreme the environment.
Their role is to ensure that amphibious forces are able to access coastlines, establishing the best points of access and feeding back vital information on the terrain.
Photos: Royal Navy
Alpha Company 40 Commando Royal Marines on operations in Nahr-e Saraj, Central Helmand.
Photographs by L(Phot) Rhys Oleary – MOD/Crown Copyright 2013
Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator.
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
French Commandos on duty at the Eiffel area... they also had some of these men rappel down the Eiffel... very impressive.. Here i try to capture the mood that Elite Commandos present to the public... and tourists today.
Pictured: British Army Commando from 7 (Sphinx) Commando Battery , 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
HMS Albion’s embarked royal Marines from X Coy 45 Cdo RM operating in Estonia in the main amphibious element of Exercise Spring Storm 2023.
Royal Marines conduct beach raid in Estonia during NATO exercise.
Around 100 marines from 45 Commando conducted an exercise to stage an amphibious raid at a beach in Estonia, as part of a major NATO exercise Members of 45 Commando deployed from the Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, under the cover of darkness on Saturday.
The commandos manoeuvred their Inflatable Raiding Craft, which can travel at speeds of up to 20knots, through the waves to close in on the beach at Kaberneeme, on the north coast of Estonia.
The beach raid is just the latest in a series of planned scenarios the UK Armed Forces are exercising as part of a 14,000-strong deployment from 11 NATO countries for Exercise Spring Storm.
The beach raid scenario saw 45 Commando facing off against Estonia’s Armed Forces, with an Estonian naval missile unit acting as the marines’ target.
Photo: LPhot Bill Spurr
“Commando Units pave the way for the Elite Infantry by softening up strategic enemy defenses and positions and securing enemy VIPs for interrogation or public execution. They are exceptionally able to work together in small teams and think outside the box, a skill that sets them apart from the Infantry. They are extremely effective behind enemy lines and are usually sent on Special Operations, often accompanied by Snipers and Deployment Specialists. They are trained in the use of stealth and often apply Guerilla Warfare techniques in order to effectively accomplish their tasks. They are occasionally called upon to carry out Black Ops tasks, but the main body of Commandos has expressed lack of enthusiasm and general unwillingness, and as a result such tasks are kept to a bare minimum.”
Primary Weapon of Choice: Heavy Pistol
Secondary Weapon(s) of Choice: Combat Knife for CQC, Melee abilities, and Assassination
Effective #Units per Assignment: 2 - 8
Preferred Hours of Operation: Nighttime
Skills & Qualifications: Advanced Weapons Training, Advanced Close-Quarters Combat Techniques, Stealth, etc.
Star Wars Cloth for Lego. Re-edited CAC decals. For print the biggest round should have 0,5cm.Material, I will use will be poilaster(one side will be print black, on second side i will print those decals).
Active trip 2010
This exercise will take place in the provinces of West and East Flanders, Hainaut and Namur, Belgium
The purpose of the exercise, in collaboration with French soldiers from 35 (RAP Parachute Infantry Regiment) and the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, is training in the procedures and techniques for Non-combatant Evacuation Operations ( NEO).
Nearly 1,000 military Belgians, mostly from the 2nd Battalion of Commandos Flawinne and 3 Battalion Paratroopers Tielen, and 150 French soldiers, supported by 4 C-130, will participate in ACTIVE TRIP. They will travel mainly by foot or by using light wheeled vehicles
Main Caption
Belgian airborne units are on alert, with 3 Parachute Battalion from Tielen and 2 Commandos from Flawinne, are about to help Belgian expatriates in the context of Exercise Active Trip.
Led by the Immediate Reaction Capability (IRC - Para-Commando Regiment), this exercise will also see the participation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The recent security crisis born of the earthquake in Haiti has highlighted the importance of coordination between the FPS Foreign Affairs and Defense during such a crisis. To gain experience in the field, a team composed of staff from both departments will participate actively in the consolidation of expatriates (about 450 civilians), reception and sorting of these before their evacuation by road or by air on board four C-130 Defence Belgian and a French C-160.
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
Royal Marines of 43 Commando train in various environment to test their skills in protecting the UK's nuclear deterrent.
Royal Marines have completed two weeks of rigorous training in the skills needed to protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
The marines of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group are held at very high-readiness year round, guarding the nuclear deterrent carried onboard the Vanguard-class submarines based at Faslane Naval Base in Scotland.
These expert warriors must be highly-skilled in fighting in a range of close-quarter combat environments and two weeks of exercises at training areas around the UK ensured they are razor sharp for duties.
The commandos battled in a range of complex environments and challenging scenarios that ensure they are ready to safeguard the nuclear deterrent whatever the situation.
Major Steve Lewis RM, Officer Commanding R-Squadron, said: “Exercise Driven Defender provided R-Squadron, 43 Commando, an opportunity to conduct challenging role training in a variety of complex and novel training environments across the UK following the cancellation of the original US based version of this exercise.
“Through a mixture of agile planning and innovative training design R-Squadron delivered realistic, high-end training whilst remaining aligned with the fluid national COVID control situation. The training activity comprising dismounted, vehicle mounted, and Helicopter Assault operations extensively tested the participating highly skilled, specialist commando forces.”
Under the cover of darkness, troops fought through a multi-storey building in pitch blackness taking down any threats hindering their mission.
Using every trick in their book, together with rapid, relentless and overwhelming force, the marines successfully overcame all hurdles the ‘enemy’ had for them.
Following this, the commandos moved to a former bunker in the South West where they carried out training missions hundreds of metres underground in a network of intersecting passages and railway tunnels.
The commandos were told that a ‘high-value asset’ had been taken deep into the bunker and employing a range of their combat skills, were tasked with defeating their adversary and liberating the asset, combining technology and agile thought to produce success.
The Faslane-based marines followed this up with close-quarter battle training at Wakefield Armed Police College, moving to the target area as a Helicopter Assault Force via CH47 Chinook before clearing through buildings testing their method of entry abilities to provide operational assurance in built-up environments.
Not resting on their laurels, the commandos moved onto their next scenario which saw an enemy preparing to fly out high-value assets.
Observation posts were positioned and a recce was carried out on RAF Woodvale, on Merseyside, determining enemy movements and positions, calculating the best way of taking down the threat without risking the safety of the assets.
The following day at first light and again deploying as a Helicopter Assault Force via Puma helicopters, the commandos struck, taking the runway and securing the base before their adversary could leave with the stolen assets.
Quick Reaction Forces were tasked with clearing aircraft hangars and taking down well-protected enemy positions throughout the training area.
The exercise reached its conclusion with troops conducting close-quarters battle training, using simulated and live ammunition in Fort Blockhouse in Gosport.
This realistic and confined activity concluded an excellent and varied mission specific training package, ultimately assuring the security of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
“This exercise has revalidated the high levels of knowledge, skills and ability required of each marine within R-Squadron allowing them to take their place with confidence delivering in support of the unit nuclear security mission,” added Maj Lewis.
23 October 2020
Photos: Royal Navy MOD/Copyright 2020
Commando level attack on to objective LEAD (Range 200)
Images captured show a Commando level attack on to objective LEAD (Range 200) in the 29 Palms training area of California. Over 500 Royal Marines from 42 Commando were involved in the dawn raid. The mission saw the Commandos clear enemy from buildings and surrounding terrain. The attack was the final phase of the six week long training exercise, Black Alligator – December 2012
Photographs by PO (phot) Sean Clee Crown Copyright 2012
Active trip 2010
This exercise will take place in the provinces of West and East Flanders, Hainaut and Namur, Belgium
The purpose of the exercise, in collaboration with French soldiers from 35 (RAP Parachute Infantry Regiment) and the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, is training in the procedures and techniques for Non-combatant Evacuation Operations ( NEO).
Nearly 1,000 military Belgians, mostly from the 2nd Battalion of Commandos Flawinne and 3 Battalion Paratroopers Tielen, and 150 French soldiers, supported by 4 C-130, will participate in ACTIVE TRIP. They will travel mainly by foot or by using light wheeled vehicles
Main Caption
Belgian airborne units are on alert, with 3 Parachute Battalion from Tielen and 2 Commandos from Flawinne, are about to help Belgian expatriates in the context of Exercise Active Trip.
Led by the Immediate Reaction Capability (IRC - Para-Commando Regiment), this exercise will also see the participation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The recent security crisis born of the earthquake in Haiti has highlighted the importance of coordination between the FPS Foreign Affairs and Defense during such a crisis. To gain experience in the field, a team composed of staff from both departments will participate actively in the consolidation of expatriates (about 450 civilians), reception and sorting of these before their evacuation by road or by air on board four C-130 Defence Belgian and a French C-160.
Pictured are X Company, 45 Commando Royal Marines conducting Close Quarter Battle training with Lithuanian Army's "Griffin" Brigade during OP BATAN.
45 Commando operated with The Griffin Brigade's Heckler and Koch (H&K) G36C assault rifles.
The Marines of X Company based at Royal Marines Condor, Arbroath will work with Lithuanian forces during Op BATAN and will also conduct Exercise Griffin Commando (GC), which forms part of Littoral Response Group North LRG(N).
Based at RM Condor in Scotland, 45 Commando is an amphibious commando unit that forms part of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. These elite troops conduct a range of operational tasks at home and across the globe.
The Griffin Brigade – a motorised infantry brigade of the Lithuanian Army – hosted 45 Commando at their base in the port city of Klaipėda alongside the National Defence Volunteer Force.
There, the commandos – more than 130 of them from 45 Commando’s X-Ray Company – worked on Exercise Griffin Commando.
It saw British short-term military training teams work with the Lithuanians on a range of skills, including close-quarters battle, marksmanship, contact and break contact drills, plus method of entry techniques using specialist breaching equipment.
This went alongside joint tactical training designed to strengthen the two nations’ ability to work together.
Photos: PO Phot Si Ethell
Turkish Army Commandos providing VIP Security the Turkish Presidents wife Emine Erdoğan visited Uludere villige close to the Syrian Border - March 2012
Pictured are 40 Commando Royal Marines attacking Cilieni village at Sennybridge training area during Exercise Joint Warrior as part of the Joint Expeditionary Force exercise. May 3, 2018.
Royal Marines from M Company 42 Commando making an helicopter insertion into the Mojave Desert. The troops where flown my Merlin helicopter during the initial stages of the week long final exercise of exercise Black Alligator.
Photographs by L(Phot) Jason Ballard Crown Copyright 2012
Australian Army special forces soldier from 1st Commando Regiment conducts a patrol during Exercise Diamond Strike at Shoalwater Bay training area, Queensland, in June 2015.
Royal Marines of 43 Commando train in various environment to test their skills in protecting the UK's nuclear deterrent.
Royal Marines have completed two weeks of rigorous training in the skills needed to protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
The marines of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group are held at very high-readiness year round, guarding the nuclear deterrent carried onboard the Vanguard-class submarines based at Faslane Naval Base in Scotland.
These expert warriors must be highly-skilled in fighting in a range of close-quarter combat environments and two weeks of exercises at training areas around the UK ensured they are razor sharp for duties.
The commandos battled in a range of complex environments and challenging scenarios that ensure they are ready to safeguard the nuclear deterrent whatever the situation.
Major Steve Lewis RM, Officer Commanding R-Squadron, said: “Exercise Driven Defender provided R-Squadron, 43 Commando, an opportunity to conduct challenging role training in a variety of complex and novel training environments across the UK following the cancellation of the original US based version of this exercise.
“Through a mixture of agile planning and innovative training design R-Squadron delivered realistic, high-end training whilst remaining aligned with the fluid national COVID control situation. The training activity comprising dismounted, vehicle mounted, and Helicopter Assault operations extensively tested the participating highly skilled, specialist commando forces.”
Under the cover of darkness, troops fought through a multi-storey building in pitch blackness taking down any threats hindering their mission.
Using every trick in their book, together with rapid, relentless and overwhelming force, the marines successfully overcame all hurdles the ‘enemy’ had for them.
Following this, the commandos moved to a former bunker in the South West where they carried out training missions hundreds of metres underground in a network of intersecting passages and railway tunnels.
The commandos were told that a ‘high-value asset’ had been taken deep into the bunker and employing a range of their combat skills, were tasked with defeating their adversary and liberating the asset, combining technology and agile thought to produce success.
The Faslane-based marines followed this up with close-quarter battle training at Wakefield Armed Police College, moving to the target area as a Helicopter Assault Force via CH47 Chinook before clearing through buildings testing their method of entry abilities to provide operational assurance in built-up environments.
Not resting on their laurels, the commandos moved onto their next scenario which saw an enemy preparing to fly out high-value assets.
Observation posts were positioned and a recce was carried out on RAF Woodvale, on Merseyside, determining enemy movements and positions, calculating the best way of taking down the threat without risking the safety of the assets.
The following day at first light and again deploying as a Helicopter Assault Force via Puma helicopters, the commandos struck, taking the runway and securing the base before their adversary could leave with the stolen assets.
Quick Reaction Forces were tasked with clearing aircraft hangars and taking down well-protected enemy positions throughout the training area.
The exercise reached its conclusion with troops conducting close-quarters battle training, using simulated and live ammunition in Fort Blockhouse in Gosport.
This realistic and confined activity concluded an excellent and varied mission specific training package, ultimately assuring the security of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
“This exercise has revalidated the high levels of knowledge, skills and ability required of each marine within R-Squadron allowing them to take their place with confidence delivering in support of the unit nuclear security mission,” added Maj Lewis.
23 October 2020
Photos: Royal Navy MOD/Copyright 2020
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division gathered in a Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield hangar during a ceremony to case the Commando brigade’s colors before an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, October 17, 2018, at Fort Drum, New York. The casing of the colors is a traditional ceremony symbolizing a unit’s movement into a new theater of operation. The brigade is sending an element of troops on an additional mission to Kosovo for the duration of the deployment.
Active trip 2010
This exercise will take place in the provinces of West and East Flanders, Hainaut and Namur, Belgium
The purpose of the exercise, in collaboration with French soldiers from 35 (RAP Parachute Infantry Regiment) and the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, is training in the procedures and techniques for Non-combatant Evacuation Operations ( NEO).
Nearly 1,000 military Belgians, mostly from the 2nd Battalion of Commandos Flawinne and 3 Battalion Paratroopers Tielen, and 150 French soldiers, supported by 4 C-130, will participate in ACTIVE TRIP. They will travel mainly by foot or by using light wheeled vehicles
Main Caption
Belgian airborne units are on alert, with 3 Parachute Battalion from Tielen and 2 Commandos from Flawinne, are about to help Belgian expatriates in the context of Exercise Active Trip.
Led by the Immediate Reaction Capability (IRC - Para-Commando Regiment), this exercise will also see the participation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The recent security crisis born of the earthquake in Haiti has highlighted the importance of coordination between the FPS Foreign Affairs and Defense during such a crisis. To gain experience in the field, a team composed of staff from both departments will participate actively in the consolidation of expatriates (about 450 civilians), reception and sorting of these before their evacuation by road or by air on board four C-130 Defence Belgian and a French C-160.
My latest eBay purchase is this smart little Dodge Commando based on a Matchbox toy with scratchbuilt bodywork apparently made about 25 years ago. OEN 587X was acquired second-hand by North Riding Fire & Rescue from Bury Fire Brigade and being rather smaller than my other pumping appliances has been classified as a compact water tender for use in confined spaces.
Qatar Emiri Air Force Westland Commando lands at Home base of Doha Intl Aiprort. Photo taken through a dirty window in a Qatar Airways A330 as we depart heading to Male Intl Airport
Royal Marines of 43 Commando train in various environment to test their skills in protecting the UK's nuclear deterrent.
Royal Marines have completed two weeks of rigorous training in the skills needed to protect the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
The marines of 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group are held at very high-readiness year round, guarding the nuclear deterrent carried onboard the Vanguard-class submarines based at Faslane Naval Base in Scotland.
These expert warriors must be highly-skilled in fighting in a range of close-quarter combat environments and two weeks of exercises at training areas around the UK ensured they are razor sharp for duties.
The commandos battled in a range of complex environments and challenging scenarios that ensure they are ready to safeguard the nuclear deterrent whatever the situation.
Major Steve Lewis RM, Officer Commanding R-Squadron, said: “Exercise Driven Defender provided R-Squadron, 43 Commando, an opportunity to conduct challenging role training in a variety of complex and novel training environments across the UK following the cancellation of the original US based version of this exercise.
“Through a mixture of agile planning and innovative training design R-Squadron delivered realistic, high-end training whilst remaining aligned with the fluid national COVID control situation. The training activity comprising dismounted, vehicle mounted, and Helicopter Assault operations extensively tested the participating highly skilled, specialist commando forces.”
Under the cover of darkness, troops fought through a multi-storey building in pitch blackness taking down any threats hindering their mission.
Using every trick in their book, together with rapid, relentless and overwhelming force, the marines successfully overcame all hurdles the ‘enemy’ had for them.
Following this, the commandos moved to a former bunker in the South West where they carried out training missions hundreds of metres underground in a network of intersecting passages and railway tunnels.
The commandos were told that a ‘high-value asset’ had been taken deep into the bunker and employing a range of their combat skills, were tasked with defeating their adversary and liberating the asset, combining technology and agile thought to produce success.
The Faslane-based marines followed this up with close-quarter battle training at Wakefield Armed Police College, moving to the target area as a Helicopter Assault Force via CH47 Chinook before clearing through buildings testing their method of entry abilities to provide operational assurance in built-up environments.
Not resting on their laurels, the commandos moved onto their next scenario which saw an enemy preparing to fly out high-value assets.
Observation posts were positioned and a recce was carried out on RAF Woodvale, on Merseyside, determining enemy movements and positions, calculating the best way of taking down the threat without risking the safety of the assets.
The following day at first light and again deploying as a Helicopter Assault Force via Puma helicopters, the commandos struck, taking the runway and securing the base before their adversary could leave with the stolen assets.
Quick Reaction Forces were tasked with clearing aircraft hangars and taking down well-protected enemy positions throughout the training area.
The exercise reached its conclusion with troops conducting close-quarters battle training, using simulated and live ammunition in Fort Blockhouse in Gosport.
This realistic and confined activity concluded an excellent and varied mission specific training package, ultimately assuring the security of the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
“This exercise has revalidated the high levels of knowledge, skills and ability required of each marine within R-Squadron allowing them to take their place with confidence delivering in support of the unit nuclear security mission,” added Maj Lewis.
23 October 2020
Photos: Royal Navy MOD/Copyright 2020
Commando level attack on to objective LEAD (Range 200)
Images captured show a Commando level attack on to objective LEAD (Range 200) in the 29 Palms training area of California. Over 500 Royal Marines from 42 Commando were involved in the dawn raid. The mission saw the Commandos clear enemy from buildings and surrounding terrain. The attack was the final phase of the six week long training exercise, Black Alligator – December 2012
Photographs by PO (phot) Sean Clee Crown Copyright 2012
Alpha and Bravo Company from 40 Commando conducting a live firing, Fighting In Built Up Area (FIBUA) attack. They were supported by two American M1 Abrams Tanks during the Combined Arms Live Firing Exercise (CALFEX) phase of Black Alligator 13.Image by PO(Phot) Sean Clee CROWN COPYRIGHT
Royal Marines from 40 Commando Royal Marines culminated weeks of training and preparation aboard the Combat Center with an assault on Range 210 as part of Exercise Black Alligator 13, Oct. 20, 2013.
They are in the USA to hone their warfighting skills alongside their US colleagues at the sprawling United States Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Centre, which has nearly 1,000 sq miles of ideal training ground.