Royal Marines attacked vital ‘enemy’ infrastructure and carried out covert reconnaissance missions as they paved the way for large-scale NATO forces to move into the Nordic regions.
As part of the Royal Navy’s amphibious task group (known as Littoral Response Group (North)) designed to react to crises in northern Europe’s waterways and chokepoints, small teams of raiders from the UK’s elite Commando Forces landed ashore to conduct reconnaissance on key routes, towns and beaches to relay information back NATO headquarters to lay plans on where best to deploy the main punch of the alliance’s forces.
“The Commandos, led by strike teams of Royal Marines of Arbroath-based 45 Commando, tracked down ‘enemy’ technology used to deny access to airspace and airwaves, creating favourable conditions for armour and aircraft to enter the region.
These missions were during Exercise Nordic Response as part of Steadfast Defender 24, NATO’s largest military drills in Europe in a generation, which test allies’ ability to reinforce the continent’s frontiers from North America and across the Atlantic in the face of an aggressor.
Nordic Response focused on amphibious landings on Norway’s complex northern coastline, bringing troops across the Arctic and into NATO’s newest members Sweden and Finland with HMS Prince of Wales and the UK Carrier Strike Group, including F-35B Lightning jets, part of a potent naval force.”
You can read more on this here.
“ Nordic Response focused on amphibious landings on Norway’s complex northern coastline,”
From what platforms?
No Albions or Bays in action here so were RN using Garibaldi?
There’s Karel Doorman as well
Mounts Bay is also in the group.
Yes, I realised that five mins after posting.
Thnx for the correction.
Is it correct the Bays can carry 1 LCU and 2 LCVP, plus Mexefloats?
Vs 4 LCVP and 4 LCU and the C2 capabilities of the LPDs.
No substitute at all, I wonder if they will try to spin it like that.
You’re correct Danielle. The Bays are seriously limiting. I know that several dust-ups have occurred in the last few years over the lack of assets (An Albion class) that has affected the northern deployment. The last re-brand to LRG states that a LPD is to be deployed for both North and South groups. You cannot do that when only one is operational. The decision makers have clearly forgotten e may want to deploy both forces at the same time thousands of miles apart. Of course, serving officers will not go on the record, but they do talk to former officers.… Read more »
Thanks Ex M. Respect. I think they’re excellent assets, but in addition to, not instead of, an LPD.
I was looking at that photo top of this article thinking how staged it is if that LCU in the back ground is the only one the ship carries?
1 Bay, 1 LPD, 1 LPH then you have a proper LRG, a proper ARG of old. Still doable if a QEC is combined instead of a LPH to give greater aviation assets.
Sounds a lot like what Ukrainian Marines/SF have been doing in Crimea- looking for AD and EW systems and taking them out in order to make things easier for other assets. If this were other parts of the world, I’d imagine that shore-based anti-ship missiles would also be added to that list.
Would be interesting to know how they inserted; I’ve read that the Ukrainians were even using jet skis- which would NOT be fun in the waters off Norway at this time of year…!
I suspect a lot of what Ukranian marines have crated, built tactically and operationally have a lot to do with the RM and related services.
Yes, absolutely. I believe I saw an article somewhere, potentially here on UKDJ, saying that the RM were training the Ukrainian marines in raiding. Good to see it being picked up in major exercises too. Wonder if there were any Ukrainian marines taking a bus man’s holiday?!
Yet HMG still keeps the future of the spear tip in doubt. I would think if you reduce the army/RM to such a tiny force it would be essential to keep the best troops at full strength.
Full respect to the RM, I could never do your job.
Norway is nice this time of year. Personally, I hate the cold and found my first tour in winter agony. The staff tell you that you haven’t done artic warfare until you have completed your third winter in Norway. Now, the lads have Sweden and Finland to go and explore.