The Royal Marines’ 3 Commando Brigade is to be officially renamed the UK Commando Force, in a change announced by the King that reflects a decade of transformation in how the Corps fights, the Royal Navy has said in a news release.
The change was announced as four Royal Marines units, 40, 42, 43 and 45 Commando, were presented with new Colours at a ceremony at Windsor Castle. Addressing the parade gathered in the Quadrangle, the King said the Marines had consistently demonstrated “that there are no environments in which a Royal Marine cannot operate and win”, whether “in the heat, the cold, or something persistently wet in between.” Marking “the closure of one chapter, and the opening of another”, he announced that 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines would “henceforth be known as the United Kingdom Commando Force.”
The transformation behind the new name began in 2017, as Marines, Army and Navy commandos serving in 3 Commando Brigade modernised with new tactics and ways of operating intended for combat in the most demanding environments, while taking on new technology to meet the changing character of warfare. Since then, the force has introduced crewed and uncrewed systems and vessels, including aerial and surface drones, while investing in new weaponry, surveillance, digital communications and battlefield vehicles.
In what the Royal Navy describes as a bold move away from existing structures, the Commando Force drew on the Marines’ long history of special operations to reorganise for battlefields that now demand dispersal, disaggregation, greater reach, longer endurance and self-sufficiency, operating in small teams spread across a wide area rather than as a single massed amphibious brigade.
The First Sea Lord and Commandant General Royal Marines, General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, said the change was “more than a name change” and reflected “a decade of transformation.” The Royal Marines, he said, had evolved “from a very high readiness amphibious brigade into a modern, globally deployed Commando Force, designed to operate in the most demanding environments.”
The new name, he said, better represented who they are now, namely “highly versatile, technologically advanced strike teams, specialised for a huge array of tasks and perfectly adapted to the nature of 21st-Century warfare. A Force ready to fight and win, wherever and whenever the nation requires.”
Probably to do away with the word BRIGADE, which coule be shorthand fo more reductions. Cynical? Yes.
Not entirely. The move from 3 Cmdo Brigade to UKCF has been ongoing for a very long time (like a decade at this point). The cuts already happened.
True, its only been a Brigade in name for years now Dern.
The war on terror put paid to any pretence it could deploy as a Brigade, as its amphibious shipping and capabilities started being eroded away permanently.
Still, it was needed as a deployable, self supporting Brigade, with all the bells and whistles to defend the Northern flank back when the Russians were a belligerent threat … Oh wait, emm
Oh well, good job Starmer is investing in strongly worded letters as our main deterrent….
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Unfortunately Dern the cuts are continuing behind the scenes and I have been reliably informed this years pay rises for the RM are in part being funded by large reductions in training for the RM.
So we are reducing our readiness and war fighting preparedness in direct contradiction of stated HMG policy.
I never voted or particularly liked our current PM but I genuinely thought he was basically honest but the last week or so categorically confirms he isn’t.
The PM Talks the Talk But Doesn’t
Walk the Walk..!
Giving our NATO Allies a Load of Bull About Defence Increases While Getting his White Hanky Ready…!
Yes, I’ve not had it noted as 3 Cdo for a while, thought it already had changed.
OK Thanks for the info. With the LRG’s and maybe MRSS doubtful I wonder where we are going with the Royals though.
The problem is the Royals don’t know where they want to go.
Or more accurately the Royals don’t know where they want to go that they actually can go.
The Navy doesn’t like funding a Cmdo Brigade because it’s basically a slice of Navy funding that goes to the Army in all but name, and would much rather spend that money on Carrier Strike, Frigates, SSN’s etc. The Royals on the other hand would have happily stayed a Cmdo Brigade, but had to reinvent themselves to stay relevant to the Navy. So they’ve sort of half heartedly gone down the SOF route, complimenting ASOB. But compared to ASOB/Rangers they’ve maintained a lot more of a DA stance that they practice for more, while Rangers have delved a lot more into MA/totally-not-PR. I’ve often said the UKCF/3Cmdo now struggles because it didn’t fully embrace going SOF, but lost the ability to operate as a Brigade, so it’s neither fish nor fowl.
(And I know it’s heresy but I’d kind of suggest that part of the solution would be folding Royals into the Army, but you know… that would make the Navy and the Bootnecks pretty unhappy).
SQUAD.
Amended to…. UK Hit Squad.
It’s ten times the lethality of a single sniper.
I’m thinking again, It does happen at times.
Are you being silly in class again Halfwit, ive had just about enough of you boy, come and sit at the front with the arse licking swats, where I can keep an eye on you….
Would that make me a “Half Arsed Wit” then ? 😂😂
That’s it, go and sit outside George’s office boy, ive had enough of your nonsense.
Go and? He’d have a season ticket and be chained down…
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
And led by Frank Drebin.
“I am serious and don’t call me Shirley”.
Cuban?
“Nice Beaver”.
That was going to be my other opening gambit.
Thanks….I…….
Thinking? 🤔 What’s next?
Not aware of any more mate.
Nor me BUT? 🤔
I’m almost reluctant to say it……..wait for the….
Ho Ho HO. You mean the…….
Yes, that.
Cutting 3 Cdo Bde was a decision made by the RN for financial reasons, basically to switch money into warship building. The justification was that we are unlikely to need to storm a defemded enemy shore in the future, particularly one with an A2AD air defence system. On the face of it, that is sound enough.
Hence redution from 3 Commandos and support troops to two smaller ‘littoral response’ battalions and no CS units. So a small-scale raiding role, a 24-hour in-and-out job.
This seems an erroneus decision, which ignores the fact that the Commando brigade was a very capable light infantry warfighting brigade, whether landed from the sea or otherwise deployed. We have a minuscule number of combat manoeuvre brigade groups, we’re down to 4 deployable which, in relation to the UK’s population, must be about the lowest pro rata in ENATO. Begs the question, what troops do we send to reinforce Norway if a serious threat emerges, or Sweden or Finland or Greenland? 3 CDO was our only arctic-trained and equipped field formation. Basically, we have nothing to replace them with.
I would say a great mistake by the RN and a backward step for UK.defence.
What ever changes?
But the CS and CSS units all still in place mate.
CLR.
24 RE.
29 RA.
30 Cdo IXG, a sort of “HQ Regiment” with various bits in, including Y ( SIGINT ), logistics, comms, and the S&RS.
Now add the missing Four Two and the Bde is still there. And if in a further change the Army elements are returned to the Army ( I keep suggesting to 4 Bde to enable it ) then yes, gone.
I agree, I’d see it remain at full Bde strength in the arctic role. Note how their previous fanfare, the LRG’s, have quietly died a death along with the main shipping?
On the size of Forty and Four Five Cdo’s, I’d not seen anything that they themselves had reduced in size? What is your source for that?
Well if they are looking to save money then 24/29 could be ‘returned’ as the RN pays for both.
Do they now? Did not know that.
There is a very good chance I’m wrong! I’ve just googled it and the answer was the RN don’t,however when I’ve asked before it said yes the RN did pay because it was part of the CF🤔sooooo?
Hmmmm…….! Ok mate, good to clarify.
I’ve heard it said on forums a few times. Usually from people who are arguing from a Navy POV. I’ve never seen anything backing that up, and I think it would be rather strange.
The Navy doesn’t fund the HMAV’s, even though those directly support the Navy.
Yes no doubt I got the wrong end of the stick somewhere 😀
I’m not really saying you did tbf. Just that I don’t know either way, and I’m very sceptical.
One of these days I’ll put a list up of all the pointless rebranding over the last few years.
And to add, I thought it not for warship building, but to switch pids from Cdo to more usable sailors?
Once a bootneck, always a bootneck.
I cannot add anything more than what @cripes said. Personally, I am against the change and so are many current and former officers. 3CDO BDE is more than a “Commando Force.” Neither 40, nor 45 has reduced in size. They have just about enough manpower to do their current peacetime taskings. Unless changing the name is a facilitator for cuts. You can hardly cut 3CDO BDE down to 2,000 Royal Marines and left it keep it’s name.
I do disagree with @cripes that 24 Royal Engineers and 29 Royal Artillery can be RTU’d. They remain just as vital today as they have ever been to our ability to insert, destroy/defend and EXFIL from tasks. Without them, 3 cdo bde RM (or what other silly name they want to call us) doesn’t exist, we do not have those skills in the Corps
I cannot see a reason for the name change, it’s pointless. The Royal Marines update to the latest war-fighting technology and methodologies as a running theme. Unless, this Labour government want a name change into something softer with a new identity that will not have our prior battles, lore and history to call on.
Its reasons are for the sake of PC, nothing else! 😡
3 Cdo Bde –> UKCF
Theatre Troops —–> Force Troops —–> Field Army Troops —–> ?
Joint Forces Command —–> Strategic Command—–> Cyber and Specialist Operations Command
DIS—> DI —-> MIS
JFCG—-> CEMAG —-Cyber and Electromagnetic Command ( maybe Groups to Command to emphasise the increased prominence? Still the same flipping assets.
DMS—> Defence Medical Command
FDS—-> DTXG
SCU/FIOC—-> MIXG
1,2,3 MCMV Sqns —> MTXG
What’s the obsession with X for exploitation? WHO is being exploited???
And your lot…1 AGRM —> 47 Cdo ( RG ) ( at least it uses a historical Cdo number )
Numerous RAF sub units have been renamed with lost historical Sqn number plates as well, which the RAF now list along with the flying Sqns.( neat trick to expsnd Sqn numbers to the untrained eye, people aren’t stupid )
Same units same role. Same organisation. Same mission. Same assets, though often cut and reduced with the change.
The list of rebranding is almost endless and I’ve been tracking it for years.
Oh, and there goes another one!
Just read that the PLS, Poseidon Line Squadron has been rebranded as No 203 Squadron.
Another Sqn that lost its aircraft to cuts.
Outside of the Naval Gunfire Liasons, I fail to see how 29 and 24 have huge roles to play in the RMC raiding doctrine. You can’t fire 105’s from a ships deck, and lifting them ashore seems to contradict the lightning in and out doctrine UKCF has been espousing. 3Cmdo/UKCF also doesn’t seem to have a doctrine to operate as a consistent brigade anymore, so yeah, agreed. 3 Cmdo as it was doesn’t exist without those assets.