The Royal Marines Commandos have introduced new Lynx Brutal Over Snow Reconnaissance Vehicles (OSRV) to improve mobility and strike capability in the Arctic.

A total of 159 Lynx Brutal snowmobiles, manufactured by a Finnish subsidiary of Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), are now in service with the UK Commando Force, enabling faster and more efficient movement across snow-covered terrain in the High North.

The deployment of these vehicles aligns with the Royal Marines’ evolving battlefield tactics, which now focus on smaller, highly mobile teams conducting reconnaissance, raiding, and strike missions behind enemy lines.

Brigadier Chris Haw, who oversees the Commando Force Transformation Programme, described the investment as a “very important investment in the Commando Force’s Special Operations capability in the High North, at a strategically significant time.” He added: “This is yet another cutting-edge capability enhancement as part of a wider transformation programme providing a more sophisticated and specialist force to Defence.”

The £9 million investment aims to improve the Commandos’ ability to operate in extreme cold weather. While traditional movement techniques, such as skiing, skijoring, and snowshoes, remain in use, the expansion of snowmobile access to a wider force within the Littoral Strike Group provides a major mobility advantage.

According to a Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) operator, who tested the vehicles during Winter Deployment 25 in Northern Norway, the new Lynx Brutal has outperformed previous models.

“So far the platform has received high praise for ease of use and manoeuvrability, making it the most agile platform used to date,” said the SRS operator, as quoted in the UK defence update. “A more powerful platform but in a lighter frame enables the carriage of heavier sledges without any compromise to performance.”

He also noted that the new design features superior performance at night, improved suspension that can be adjusted by the operator, and a more aggressive track for better traction in deep snow conditions.

The Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS)—the Royal Marines’ Arctic warfare experts—was among the first to trial the vehicles at Camp Viking, the UK Commando Force’s winter base in Norway. The unit plays a crucial role in operating ahead of main Allied forces, gathering intelligence, and ensuring secure routes for larger deployments.

The Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organisation played a key role in the procurement and rapid delivery of the snowmobiles, ensuring that the full fleet was supplied within nine months of the contract award.

Steve Hayward, Head of Specialist Vehicles and Uncrewed Land Systems (SVULS) at DE&S, highlighted the speed and efficiency of the process:

“Responding to the ever-changing needs of our mission partners in the Armed Forces is at the core of what we do in DE&S,” he said. “The rapid procurement and delivery of these snowmobiles, enabled through agile approaches and a collaborative team of stakeholders, has provided a swift and effective enhancement to Royal Marines capability when operating within the Arctic Circle.”

With the new Lynx Brutal snowmobiles now in service, the Royal Marines Commandos are better equipped to conduct operations in NATO’s High North frontier, reinforcing the UK’s Arctic warfare capability and its role in supporting NATO partners in the region.

Imagery LPHOT STAINER-HUTCHINS, Crown Copyright.

George Allison
George Allison
George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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9 COMMENTS

  1. Approximately these 150 Snowmobiles cost $2,700,000 in civilian form. Is there any costs for the “Cutting Edge” versions the UK have purchased ?

    • Personally attest to the fact that snowmobiling can be a helluva lot of fun, undei appropriate circumstances. Simply regard expenditure as an investment in morale building and retention of highly trained troops, and this expenditure becomes trivial. Mere rounding error, if that. Hell, would recommend one for each member of the RM. Perhaps provide some for the BA as well. After all, the RN has three pleasure cruisers (er…OPVs), permanently assigned to the Caribbean and South Pacific. Service members are human the world over and regularly suss out one time, good deals. The recruiting commercials practically write themselves… 🤔😉😁👍👍

    • I just read that they are costing £9 Million, so that’s over 3 times the cost of the Civilian versions. As a simple chap, that does seem to suggest that A, these are heavily modified with M’s special equipment or, B, we have just splashed Tax Payers money on yet more MOD purchasing bollocks.

      I can’t wait to see what we blow on the Land Rover Replacements.

      Oh and DM, Love You.

      • Poor you.
        Seriously, I’ve no idea. There is a long running theme with the MoD paying what seem to be inflated prices.
        Do contractors see them coming, like football clubs do when they inflate a players price as a big boy with cash comes calling. OKA the MoD.
        Or, is there a better explanation.

  4. How quiet are they? Most snowmobiles can be heard miles away in the wilderness, not optimal for a military application. Can you carry some equipment and a passenger? 2 troops and their gear would be optimal but the photos were all of one individual and no equipment to speak of except for a small ruck on the rear deck. Or did I miss something?
    Definitely useful in the North but I wonder if a slightly larger rig would be better.

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